Hematite

specimen number:
2262116

location:
Egremont, Cumbria, England, UK

description:
A fine example for this British classic, lustrous botryoidal kidney ore hematite specimen without matrix. Complete all around and in good condition.

Egremont, situated within the West Cumberland Iron Ore District in Cumbria, England, is world-famous for its high-grade deposits of hematite. Geologically, the mineralization occurs as massive replacement bodies and vein fillings within Carboniferous Limestone, where iron-rich fluids migrated through faults and reacted with the host rock. The district is the premier locality for "kidney ore," a distinctive botryoidal variety of hematite that forms smooth, radiating, kidney-shaped masses with a high metallic luster. Historically, mining and quarrying in the Egremont area intensified during the mid-19th century to supply the burgeoning British steel industry, with major operations such as the Florence and Ullcoats mines becoming iconic for their output. While the peak of industrial production occurred between 1850 and 1950, the Florence Mine famously remained the last deep-hole iron ore mine in Western Europe, continuing intermittent operations for both industrial pigments and collector specimens until its final closure in the late 20th century.

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