Is hematite magnetic?

Natural hematite is only very weakly magnetic and will not stick to a fridge or pick up a paperclip. The strongly magnetic beads often sold as hematite are a manufactured material usually called magnetic hematite or hematine. IONISS uses natural hematite, so it is not magnetic.

Is hematite a real crystal or a stone?

Hematite is a mineral rather than a crystal in the everyday sense. It is iron oxide, chemical formula Fe2O3, and it forms in several habits including the kidney shaped masses miners call kidney ore. In jewellery it is cut and polished into beads and cabochons.

Why is hematite so heavy?

Hematite is roughly 70 percent iron by weight, which gives it a specific gravity of about 5.3. That is around twice the density of quartz, and it is why a hematite bracelet has a noticeable presence on the wrist that a glass or resin bead never has.

Does hematite rust or tarnish?

Hematite is already an oxide, so it does not rust in the way raw iron does. Its polished surface can dull over time with skin oils, perfume and cosmetics. Wiping it with a dry soft cloth restores the shine.

Where does hematite come from?

Hematite is one of the most common minerals on earth and is mined worldwide, with major deposits in Brazil, Australia, China, India and Canada. It is the primary ore of iron, so most hematite is used industrially rather than in jewellery.

The stone

What is hematite?

Hematite is an iron oxide mineral, recognised by its density and the polished metallic grey finish it takes. It is the stone every IONISS bracelet is made from, and this is the plain version of what it is and what it is not.

Chemical formula: Fe2O3, iron oxide
Specific gravity: About 5.3, twice quartz
Mohs hardness: 5.5 to 6.5
Streak colour: Red brown, hence the name

The short answer

Hematite is iron oxide. It is one of the most abundant minerals on earth and the main ore that iron is smelted from. Polished, it takes a hard metallic lustre somewhere between gunmetal and graphite, and it is unusually heavy for its size.

The name comes from haima, the Greek word for blood, because hematite leaves a red brown streak when scraped across unglazed porcelain. That red is also why the same mineral, ground fine, has been used as a pigment for tens of thousands of years. Some of the oldest surviving cave art was painted with it.

What hematite has been associated with

Within crystal and wellness traditions, hematite is one of the stones most consistently linked to grounding. The associations that come up again and again are:

Grounding and feeling settled
Balance and emotional stability
Focus and mental clarity
Confidence and composure under pressure
Protection, in the older folk traditions

Those associations are cultural and historical. They are the reason many people are drawn to the stone, and they are worth knowing about. They are not medical claims, and we do not present them as any.

What we actually think is going on

We are not going to tell you a mineral rearranges your mood. What we will say is that a weighted object on your wrist is a remarkably effective prompt.

Habits need cues. A physical thing you can reach for, that is always present and feels distinctly different from your skin, is a far better cue than an intention to remember something. Reaching for it interrupts a spiral. The breath that follows does the rest.

That is the whole mechanism, and it is enough. Read more about the three step reset.

Natural hematite and magnetic hematite

This trips a lot of people up. Natural hematite is only weakly magnetic. If a bracelet snaps together, sticks to a fridge or clings to itself, it is not natural hematite. It is a manufactured ferrite material, usually sold as magnetic hematite or hematine.

There is nothing wrong with that material, but it is a different thing and it should be labelled honestly. IONISS uses natural hematite, so our bracelets are not magnetic.

How to care for hematite

Wipe the beads with a dry soft cloth when they lose shine.
Keep perfume, aftershave, hand cream and cleaning products off the stone.
Take it off before swimming, and dry it if it gets wet.
Store it flat rather than hanging, which keeps tension off the elastic.

There is a fuller version on the care guide.

Questions

The things people ask before they buy.

If yours is not here, email us and a person will answer. We are a small team and we read everything.