Jewellery

Haematite

Haematite is a mineral with a high iron oxide content. This gives the opaque, black stone her metallic oily grey lustre that its known for. Unfortunately the metal content of the stone make it unsuitable for gold plating as it is sometimes mildly conductive so attracts gold particles to the stones surface during the electroplating. The name hematite is derived from the Greek word for blood (haima), due to the red coloration found in some varieties of the stone. 

Fun fact: Haematite has been seen in abundance on two sites of the planet Mars.

Colours: black

Mohs scale: 5.5 – 6.5

Crystal Formation: Triagonal

Country of origin: Europe, mined as the main origin for iron ore.