5.2 to 5.3
Hexagonal
5.5 to 6.5
None
The appearance of Hematite ranges from red to a shiny black. Most of the hematite found in the west is a dark brown color. The streak is dark red.
Hematite will dissolve slowly when heated in hydrochloric acid and will become magnetic when heated in a reducing flame. Hematite is the most important iron ore and contains about 70% iron. It is also known and used as red ochre. It is a common mineral in igneous rocks such as lavas. The major deposits are sedimentary and are mostly located in the Eastern United States in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It is also found in pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. Most of the hematite I have found in the west is associated with quartz and sometimes with gold veins.
References: Rocks and Minerals by Herbert S. Zim and Paul R. Schaffer and Rocks and Minerals by Martin Prinz, George Harlow and Joseph Peters.
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