Hematite, a prevalent iron oxide compound, is extensively distributed in rocks and soils, sharing its crystal structure with corundum and ilmenite.
Displaying natural hues ranging from black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish-brown, or red, hematite serves as a significant ore mineral of iron and is actively mined. Notably, it exhibits electrical conductivity. Various hematite varieties, such as kidney ore, martite (pseudomorphs after magnetite), iron rose, and specularite (specular hematite), present diverse forms, yet all share a distinctive rust-red streak.
