Hematite: The Original “Blood Stone”

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Hematite is the stone quite literally named after blood. You might encounter the name in reference to jasper or another type of stone, but it is a lightly or non-magnetic iron oxide. Hematite has a range of commercial uses, from magnetised jewellery to iron production.

This article contains everything you need to know from how to identify hematite to where to find hematite in Scotland for all you rising rockhounds! Get comfortable, this will only take a few minutes and, in the words of my mother, "it willnae be sair."

Botryoidal hematite which is particulary blood red, from the Southern Upland Hills.

What is Hematite Stone?

Hematite stone, also known as kidney ore or kidney stone, is one of the key minerals that you will find all over central and lower Scotland. This is because it is one of the ores used to produce iron.

Fairly common across the board, hematite (Fe203) has a metallic sheen but can be rust red or steel grey. It can be highly pigmented and contain up to 70% oxygen. It is best known for its ability to ‘bleed’ red when wet.

What is Bloodstone?

Hematite takes its name from “hema,” the Ancient Greek for “blood,” which makes hematite the OG in terms of claiming the name “bloodstone.” We have heard the term refer to jasper, we have heard it in reference to agate – but bloodstone is and always will be hematite. Literally translated, hematites means ‘Bloodlike.’

What is Hematite Used For?

Hematite is one of the main ores used in iron production by the steel industry. It is used as a healing crystal, with a long-held belief that the slight magnetism of the stone is good for joint pain. Hematite bracelets are therefore common.

Hematite creates a vibrantly rich red colour when it is crushed up. It is one of the chief ingredients in red ochre pigment[i], which is used to make paints, makeup, and a dozen other things.

As a highly amusing side note which I just this second found out about, hematite also blocks out x-rays. They use it to protect medical equipment from exposure to radiation.

How do you Identify Hematite Stone?

The first indicator is colour. It will range from bright red to a grey colour. Hematite can be steel grey when polished.

Hematite has a hardness of between 5.0 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale. This is the same hardness as glass. A stainless steel knife is around 5.5 Mohs. You cannot scratch hematite with calcite, but you can scratch it with quartz.

Hematite will leave a blood red to brownish red streak on a piece of unglazed porcelain. We tend to use pieces of slate because we literally find them lying around, but if you want a proper scratch pad for performing mineral streak tests, then you can pick one up on Amazon.

Most hematite will leave a red smear on your fingers when it is wet. This is not true of polished hematite.

Hematite itself is not usually magnetic. However, other types of iron ore minerals are. Hematite with a high concentration of magnetite might be extremely magnetic. On its own, at most, hematite should barely hold a magnet[ii].

This hematite is also from the Southern Upland Hills. As you can see, it is a different colour than the first picture.

Is it a Meteorite or is it just Hematite?

Hematite being so rich in iron means that it is often mistaken for a meteorite, as is its cousin, magnetite.

Meteorites are (usually) richly magnetic, rarely rounded, and will not contain either bubbles or vesicles, which are the little holes in a rock like amygdaloidal basalt which become filled with other minerals. The meteorite has none of these, hematite frequently includes other minerals.

Hematite will have the telltale red streak. Meteorites have either no streak when scratched against unglazed porcelain, or a very light grey streak when forced.

Hematite can be bubbly in formation (botryoidal) whereas a meteorite will have regmaglypts (dimples about the shape of a thumbprint) instead.

A beautiful example of botryoidal hematite which might pass as a meteorite to the unsuspecting eye.

Meteorites have a dark, solid, almost fluid-looking crust where the atmosphere cooked them on the way in. Ironstones like hematite can form in layers as sedimentary material over huge geological timescales. Those layers might look like a crust. However, hematite will probably display some 'peeling' of those layers. A meteorite's crust should be whole.

Pictures of Meteorites

We couldn't find any stock images of meteorites that were actualy meteorites so we will give you a few links, instead. For pics of meteorites see:

• The Gibson meteorite at Sothebys.

• Washington University have some brilliant information on iron based meteorites.

• Geology.com - one of our favourite resources - has detailed info on classification, too.

Will Hematite Set Off My Metal Detector?

Hematite is a heavy iron ore and will therefore set off your metal detector. Worse is that gold and iron tend to be found together, so just because you keep pinging hematite doesn’t mean there isn’t gold nearby.

What is the Meaning of Hematite in Crystal Healing?

In terms of what wearing hematite does and who should wear it, we are not known for our accurate depictions of healing crystals. If you were to ask us which ailments hematite cures, we would say stay away from crystal healing as a treatment option and use it holistically, instead.

Go see a doctor.

That being said: crystal healers use hematite for a few different purposes. It is primarily a grounding crystal. This means it ties in with your root chakra, which also happens to be blood red. It is not just the colour which ties hematite to your root chakra, it is the heaviness of the stone, too, which makes it perfect for grounding.

If (like nobody we ever met, ever) you spend all your time with your head in the clouds, dreaming up story ideas or song lyrics or just dreaming in general, then carrying hematite in your pocket will help bring you back down to earth.

Magnetized hematite bracelets are often worn to promote better circulation and reduce joint pain and inflammation. We do not advise you replace your arthritis medication with a hematite bracelet, but every little helps when you are in pain, so maybe give it a go.

Don’t buy a gemstone chip one, though. Go big or go home with a magnetised, double-wrapped, durable AF one like this. Alternatively, here is a cheaper but good quality version.

Where do you find Hematite?

You can find hematite in iron rich areas, which you can find by looking at which areas once held iron mines near you. Once you know where the iron mines were, you can go and have a wee looksy.

Fortunately, bloodstone is extremely common anywhere in the UK where mining for iron took place. You can find it in the lowland gold panning areas in pebble form. Since it is almost as heavy as gold, it tends to be in the same sorts of places.

Telltale Signs of Hematite Nearby Include:

·       Red or orange runoff in a burn or river

·       Constant pings on a metal detector could be hematite.

·       Mindat information showing iron or hematite in the area.

·       Yellow, orange, or red stained quartz indicates high iron in the soil.

·       You might need to dig for it.

If you do dig, fill in the hole when you are finished. Angry farmers make for the worst enemies. (Don’t mess with anyone who has the ability to dump s#it on your car.)

Where to Buy Hematite Online?

You can buy rough hematite (raw hematite) through The Stone Circle. Our online crystal shop stocks hematite from the Southern Uplands of Scotland, where you better not take your metal detector because you might get shot.

FYI we do not own a metal detector. We fish it out the river like normal peasants.

You can also buy Scottish minerals online in our Etsy store. Tell them we sent you. It won’t do anything but tell them anyway… Maybe I will chuck in a second free rock.

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[i] https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/hematite.htm

[ii] https://geology.ecu.edu/geol1501/mineral/hematite/