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Hæmatite
or hematite is a mineral, coloured 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 (pseudomorphs
after
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- and
magnetite-related
oxide mineral. When polished it reaches a steely mirror-like lustre.
It was very popular for carving and a centurion's head intaglio set in
a signet ring was very fashionable a number of years ago.
00000Today hæmatite is still popular cut into beads. We hold a large stock of beads
and intaglios. |
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