Hematite
A type of iron oxide mineral with the chemical formula Fe2O3. Hematite is one of the most important ores of iron. Hematite has an extremely variable appearance. Its luster can range from earthy to submetallic to metallic. Its color ranges include red to brown and black to gray to silver. It occurs in many forms. However, hematite has a range of colors, massive crystals can have a brownish-red color.
Applications of Hematite
Hematite has a wide variety of uses.
- It is one of the finest iron ores in the world and one of the most important pigment minerals as well.
- It is used to produce iron and steel. Hematite and magnetite iron ores are the most prominent raw materials for iron and steel production.
- It’s a dense and inexpensive material. The low cost and high density of hematite make them useful as ballast for ships. Hematite can also be ground to a fine powder that when mixed with water will make a liquid with a very high specific gravity.
- It is used as gemstones or in making jewelry as well. Certain types of hematite were used as gilding in jewelry and in the creation of intaglio engraved hematite rings.
- Finally It is used as a polishing compound. It is the material used to make polishing compounds known as “red rouge” and
“jeweler’s rouge”. Red rouge is a hematite powder used to polish brass and soft metals. It can be added to crushed corn cob media or crushed walnut shell media for tumble-polishing brass shell casings.