Hematite

specimen number:
8311425

location:
N'Chwaning Mines, Northern Cape, South Africa

description:
An excellent thumbnail for the species consisting of a bright sharp metallic double terminated crystal of hematite several smaller crystal attached. Very good condition all around.

The N'chwaning mines, consisting primarily of the N'chwaning I, II, and III shafts in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, are situated within the world-class Kalahari Manganese Field. Geologically, these deposits are hosted in the Hotazel Formation of the Transvaal Supergroup, representing a massive sedimentary sequence of manganese and iron-rich strata that formed approximately 2.2 to 2.3 billion years ago. While famous for manganese, the site also hosts exceptional hematite, which often occurs as highly lustrous, mirror-like black plates or thick tabular crystals, sometimes found in spectacular iron-rose formations or as inclusions in other minerals. Historically, the N'chwaning I shaft began operations in 1972, followed by the N'chwaning II shaft in 1981 and the N'chwaning III shaft in 2004. These underground operations, managed by the Assmang joint venture, have been consistent producers of high-grade ore and world-renowned mineral specimens for over fifty years. As of 2026, the N'chwaning complex remains one of the most significant and active mining localities in the world for both industrial metallurgical production and elite-level mineralogical collecting.

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