RocksdayHematite vs Ilmenite
How to tell them apart
Iron oxide and the world's most important iron ore. It can be shiny steel-gray or earthy red, but always leaves a reddish streak.
Photo: Wikipedia Loves Art participant "Assignment_Houston_One", CC BY-SA 2.5
A black iron titanium oxide and the main ore of titanium, common in black beach sands.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Hematite leaves a reddish brown streak; Ilmenite leaves black.
- Luster: Hematite looks metallic; Ilmenite doesn't.
Key differences
- Hematite leaves a red-brown streak.
Side by side
| Property | Hematite | Ilmenite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 5.5–6.5 | 5–6 |
| Luster | Metallic to earthy | Submetallic |
| Streak | Reddish brown | Black |
| Colors | Silver, Black, Red | Black |
| Crystal system | Trigonal | Trigonal |
| Specific gravity | 5.26 | 4.7–4.8 |
| Formula | Fe₂O₃ | FeTiO₃ |
| Found in | Lake Superior iron ranges; Carajás, Brazil | Beach sands of Australia and South Africa; Kerala, India |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify hematite
- Reddish-brown streak — the key test, even on silvery pieces.
- Heavy for its size.
- Not magnetic (or only weakly).
- Sometimes forms bubbly 'kidney ore' masses.
Crystal system: Trigonal
Full Hematite guide →How to identify ilmenite
- Black and submetallic.
- Only weakly magnetic.
- Black streak.
Crystal system: Trigonal
Full Ilmenite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
Play today's Rocksday