Hematite and Hematine - easy to tell apart !

Hematite is a common ore mineral that has derived its name from Greek haimatitis. Hematine is a recent trade term for a synthetic replicate and is also known by some as magnetic hematite, pseudomorphous after magnetite.

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Hematite, also spelled hæmatite, is the mineral form of ironoxide (Fe2O3), one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmetinite and corundum. Hematite is a mineral, colored black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is mined as the main ore of iron. Varieties include kidney ore, martite, magnetite, iron rose and specularite (specular hematite). While the forms of hematite vary, they all have a rust-red streak. Hematite is harder than pure iron, but much more brittle. Maghemite is a hematite-magnetite related oxide mineral.

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Huge deposits of hematite are found in banded iron formations. Grey hematite is typically found in places where there has been standing water or mineral hot springs, such as those in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. The mineral can precipitate out of water and collect in layers at the bottom of a lake, spring, or other standing water. Hematite can also occur without water, however, usually as the result of volcanic activity. Clay-sized hematite crystals can also occur as a secondary mineral formed by weathering processes in soil, and along with other iron oxides or oxyhydroxides such a goethite, is responsible for the red color of many tropical, ancient, or otherwise highly weathered soils. Good specimens of hematite come from England, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Canada and the United States.
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Hematine, called magnetic hematite, hemalyke or hemalike is an artificial man made version of hematite. Hematine is widely used in jewelery, especially jewelry used to address the magnetic substances of healing. Although it is claimed by many that it is made from ground hematite or iron oxide mixed with a resin, analysis has proven it to be an entirely artificial compound composed of a barium-strontium-ferrite. Hematine is much easier to produce and can be made in a great variety of shapes, and is much more affordable. This very shiny, gray to dark gray, almost metal appearance, goes well with silver, and has held a popular appeal to many. Hematine is virtually identical to Hematite when looked at and only the magnetic properties of hematine can distinuish the two. Although hold a magnet up to hematite, and it will be drawn to it, but it is not magnetic in itself like hematine.

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Photos and some information provided by Stan Celestian and Glendale Community College.
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