Rock and Mineral Identification Reference

How to Identify Hematite: Hardness, Streak, Luster and Tests

Q: What color streak does Hematite leave?

Reddish brown to rusty red. Rub the specimen on an unglazed porcelain tile; the powder color is the streak, and it is more consistent than the specimen color.

Q: How do I tell Hematite from Magnetite?

Streak test: hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak; magnetite leaves a black streak.

Q: What is the simplest test for Hematite?

Streak test: on a white unglazed porcelain plate, hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak.

Quick answer

Hematite (mineral): 6 identifying properties, 1 home test, and how to tell it from Magnetite, quoted from geology department and survey sources.

Updated 2026-09-10 · Sources: University of Minnesota Common Minerals

Scratch, streak and acid tests mark the specimen, and some produce sharp fragments or dust. Wear eye protection, work in a ventilated space, keep acid off skin, and never taste a mineral you have not already identified.

How to Identify Hematite: Hardness, Streak, Luster and Tests — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

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What are the key facts?

Type: Mineral
Mohs hardness: 5–6 (earthy varieties <2)
Streak: Reddish brown to rusty red.
Luster: Ranges from brilliant metallic to dull earthy luster.
Color: Black to silver-gray; earthy varieties are red to brown.
Cleavage or fracture: No cleavage.
Specific gravity: 5.3

What Hematite looks like

The properties that identify Hematite — mohs hardness: 5–6 (earthy varieties <2); streak: Reddish brown to rusty red; luster: Ranges from brilliant metallic to dull earthy luster; color: Black to silver-gray; earthy varieties are red to brown; cleavage or fracture: No cleavage; specific gravity: 5.3. Hardness, streak and cleavage are the reliable ones; color alone rarely settles it.

Tests you can do at home

Streak test: on a white unglazed porcelain plate, hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak.

Often confused with

[Magnetite](/lookup/rocks-and-minerals/magnetite): Streak test: hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak; magnetite leaves a black streak.

Where it is found in North America

The Lake Superior iron ranges (Minnesota/Wisconsin/Michigan), and in various red-colored sedimentary rocks, soil layers, and glacial till across the Midwest.

How to photograph it for identification

Photograph a fresh, unweathered surface in daylight, then a second shot of any crystal faces or broken edge. Include a coin for scale. If you did a streak test, photograph the streak next to the specimen. The app suggests the likely mineral or rock; confirm with hardness and the tests above before you label it.

FAQ

How hard is Hematite on the Mohs scale?

5–6 (earthy varieties <2). A fingernail is about 2.5, a copper coin about 3, a steel knife 5.5 and glass about 5.5, so test against those.

What color streak does Hematite leave?

Reddish brown to rusty red. Rub the specimen on an unglazed porcelain tile; the powder color is the streak, and it is more consistent than the specimen color.

How do I tell Hematite from Magnetite?

Streak test: hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak; magnetite leaves a black streak.

What is the simplest test for Hematite?

Streak test: on a white unglazed porcelain plate, hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak.

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Sources

University of Minnesota Common Mineralscommonminerals.esci.umn.edu/minerals-g-m/hematite
University of Minnesota Common Mineralscommonminerals.esci.umn.edu/minerals-g-m/magnetite

Compiled by the RockLens editorial team

Every fact on this page is taken from the sources listed above; numbers and prices are copied from the source, and prices name the guide or auction and its date. Research and drafting were assisted by AI, and each claim was then checked against the cited sources. Checked 2026-09-10. We do not buy, sell or grade items; the app identifies what you photograph and points you to these references.