Hematite

specimen number:
2062493

location:
Rio Marina, Elba, Tuscany, Italy

description:
Brilliant lustrous metallic hexagonal crystals of hematite measuring to 3.0 cm in size across a massive hematite matrix. This is crystallized all around, even on the base. All of the prominent crystals are in good condition, there is some damage present along the edges of the piece as seen. Classic material for this locality.

Rio Marina, located on the island of Elba in Tuscany, Italy, features mining operations that date back to Etruscan times in the eighth century BC and continued through Roman, medieval, and modern industrial eras until the final commercial extraction sites closed in the early 1980s. Geologically, the area is characterized by Paleozoic schist and sandstone formations, known locally as verrucano, hosting extensive bodies and veins of iron ore created by complex hydrothermal replacement and metasomatic processes. The local deposits are famous for abundant iron oxides and sulfides, set within a vibrant landscape shaped by intense open-air mining and unique mineral crystallizations.

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