PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- GROUP Carbonates
- COMPOSITION FeCO3
- COLOR Yellowish to dark brown
- CRYSTALLINE SYSTEM Hexagonal / trigonal
- CRYSTALLINE HABIT Rhombohedral
- HARDNESS 3.5 - 4
- FRACTURE Unequal or subconchoidal
- EXFOLIATION Perfect rhombohedral
- SHINE Vitreous to pearly
- STRIP White
- TRANSPARENCY Translucent
- SPECIFIC WEIGHT 3.9
MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The siderite is an iron carbonate with a structure of calcite. It can form rhombohedral crystals with curved surfaces, it can also form scalenohedral, tabular or prismatic crystals. It is generally massive or granular, and sometimes botryoidal or globular.
The siderite is a limestone rock of great hardness, geomagnetic, dense and opaque, with embedded quartz grains and rich in iron. It is dark brown, black or grayish. It is widely found in sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks.
The name of siderite comes from the Greek "sideros", which means "iron" . Formerly it was called Chalibita.
Deposits: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Brazil and South Africa.
THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES
The siderite is considered a useful stone to root and connect with the energy of the Earth. Promotes common sense and pragmatism. On a healing level, it is said to restore vitality.
