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Hematite

Scientists of the Mars Exploration Rover Project believe that deposits of hematite on Mars may help prove whether large amounts of water ever flowed, and as a result possibly life.

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The weird and the wonderful

From the Greek haimatitis, meaning blood-red, the metallic grey iron oxide owes its name to the red colour of the powdered mineral, which resembles dried blood.

The German name for Hematite is blutstein, meaning bloodstone, and it has a similar derivation, but this term is confusing, for the English Bloodstone is a variety of green Chalcedony flecked with red spots of Jasper.

Found in various states of compactness, from a soft, red paint ore, which was used by early American Indians to adorn their faces before battle and continues to be used today as a pigment, to the most compact form of the mineral, which is cut for jewellery.

History in a nutshell

The bones of Neolithic burials have been found smeared with powdered hematite, and there are burials found in China dating back to the 10th millennium BC scattered with the gemstone.

The height of hematite's popularity in jewellery was in Europe during the Victorian era. It has also seen a strong resurgence in North America, especially in the western United States. Due to it delicate nature, the mineral is found only in precious jewellery.

Highly polished hematite was once used for making mirrors.

Om Shanti

Hematite has been worn to protect its wearer from bleeding, and is thought to protect against unionized radiation, and therefore a good stone to wear when working around computers.

Crystal healers use hematite for any disorder of the blood, as well as for leg cramps and insomnia.

Thought of as the 'stone of the mind' it can bring clarity of thought to the wearer, and is particularly effective on the 1st, or Root/Base Chakra.