2.7" Hematite Botryoidal Kidney Ore Rock Mineral Specimen Irhoud Mine, Morocco

Location: Irhoud Mine, Morocco

Weight: 6.3 Ounces 

Dimension: 2.7 Inches Long, 1.8 Inches Wide, 1.3 Inches thick

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Botryoidal Hematite

Hematite, a widespread iron oxide mineral, displays a spectrum of hues from steel gray to nearly black, particularly in its specular form. The captivating rainbow hematite variety reveals iridescent tones reminiscent of oil slicks on water, often enhanced by a quartz backing in its drusy form to bolster durability. Despite its diverse appearances, hematite is consistently marked by a distinctive rust-red streak. Harder than pure iron yet more fragile, its name traces back to the Greek "haimatites," meaning blood. Mined extensively across Australia, Brazil, England, Mexico, and North America, it holds particular significance as Alabama’s state mineral, where vast quantities were extracted during the 19th and 20th centuries. Hematite’s presence on Mars imparts the planet's iconic red coloration, first detected by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer aboard the Mars Global Surveyor.