Product

Hematite is the world's most important iron ore mineral and the primary source of iron for global steel production. Named from the Greek haima (blood), a reference to its characteristic red streak, it is the natural mineral form of iron(III) oxide (α-Fe₂O₃) and occurs across a wide range of geological environments.

Ore Identity

Geological Occurrence

Hematite forms across all major geological environments — igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, and hydrothermal. Its principal ore-forming settings are:

• Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) — Precambrian sedimentary sequences of alternating hematite and silica (chert/jasper) bands; the world's largest iron ore resource, and the source of the great deposits of the Pilbara (Australia), Carajás (Brazil), and Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine)
• Enriched / supergene deposits — BIFs upgraded by weathering and leaching of silica, producing high-grade massive hematite bodies suitable for direct-shipping without beneficiation
• Hydrothermal deposits — hematite precipitated from iron-rich hydrothermal fluids in veins and breccias
• Metamorphic hematite — formed by oxidation of magnetite or recrystallisation of sedimentary iron minerals under elevated pressure and temperature
• Sedimentary oolitic deposits — oolitic or pisolitic hematite formed by chemical precipitation in shallow marine basins

Physical Forms & Varieties

Hematite displays an unusually wide range of habits:

• Specular hematite — platy, mirror-like metallic crystals with high reflectance
• Kidney ore — reniform (kidney-shaped) botryoidal masses with a smooth surface
• Iron roses — rosette-like sub-parallel crystal groupings on basal faces
• Earthy/ochreous hematite — soft, powdery, red to brown massive material
• Oolitic hematite — small spheroidal grains formed by concentric precipitation
• Massive hematite — dense, fine-grained, commercially the most important form

Key Global Deposits

Mining & Beneficiation

High-grade hematite deposits (≥58% Fe) are mined as direct-shipping ore (DSO) — crushed and screened without chemical processing before export. Lower-grade ores require beneficiation via crushing, screening, and gravity or magnetic separation to upgrade Fe content. Hematite's non-magnetic character limits the use of magnetic separation, making gravity separation (jigs, spirals, dense media) the dominant beneficiation route.​

Steel Industry Role

Hematite ore is reduced to metallic iron in blast furnaces via the stepwise reaction sequence:

Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ → FeO → Fe

Its higher Fe grade and lower impurity levels compared to magnetite make it the preferred ore for conventional integrated steelmaking. It is also processed into sinter (agglomerated fines) and pellets for optimised blast furnace burden management.​

Applications Beyond Steelmaking

While steelmaking dominates hematite consumption, the ore also serves as the primary raw material for:​

• Synthetic red iron oxide pigment (PR101) for paints, coatings, and concrete
• Dense media suspensions for coal washing and mineral separation (ground hematite powder)
• Radiation shielding aggregate in heavy concrete
• Polishing compounds (jeweller's rouge)

References

1. Geologyin (Jan 25, 2024). Hematite: Properties, Uses, Meaning
2. King H.M., Geology.com. Hematite (Accessed Feb 28, 2026)
3. Wikipedia. Hematite (Page version Feb 19, 2026)
4. Mat M., GEOLOGYSCIENCE (Nov 14, 2025). Hematite
5. Barthelmy D., Mineralogy Database. Hematite Mineral Data (Accessed Feb 28, 2026)
6. Mindat.org. Hematite (Accessed Feb 28, 2026)
7. JXSC (Jun 12, 2024). Mastering Hematite vs Magnetite: Expert Guide