Hematites Especularita Azul
Hematites is a mineral with formula Fe₂O₃, in the Óxidos group. This specimen comes from Bellerberg Volcano, Nickenich, Eifel, Renania-Palatinado, Alemania and joined the Terrium collection in 1982.
Description
Electric-blue sheen on dark grey pumice. Porous and light; haematite as a specular surface with bluish iridescence.
History of this specimen
I acquired this piece from Christine Sodast; when I asked her about the label that accompanied this blue haematite she replied: "I live near the German border. The first time I went looking for stones I did so around Idar-Oberstein. I had set out with no idea at all. It started to rain and I sat, soaked, on a rock. I was lost. Very tired by then, I bent down to pick up a strangely shaped stone and take it home. When I realised it was an agate, I had it cut and I polished it myself, without a machine, for hours. I kept one half of the geode and I gave the other to my partner years later. We are still together. Minerals have been my passion for a long time. I have a large collection and there are pieces I would never sell because they have a history, even if they have little commercial value. And, you know? I will never forget that it was the old collectors who taught me the most, often people who sold because their pension was not enough to live on. But the passion with which they explained was magical and their knowledge, immense. They spoke gladly even if one did not buy and relived their adventures through photo albums they showed with pride. That has changed a lot: many of those old collectors have died and have often been replaced by dealers who know nothing about the subject. It is a pity, but that is life". Clearly someone who still understands minerals as history rather than as merchandise.
About Hematites
The blue tones are due to extremely thin oxide films that generate optical interference.
About the locality
Basaltic deposits of the Eifel, with haematite developed in vesicles and fumarolic zones.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0310
- Composition
- Fe₂O₃
- Name
- Hematites
- Variety
- Especularita Azul
- Group
- Óxidos
- Category
- Meritum Persé
- Matrix
- Pumita (Piedra Pómez)
- Mine
- Bellerberg Volcano
- District / Municipality
- Nickenich
- Province
- Eifel
- Region
- Renania-Palatinado
- Country
- Alemania
- Size (cm)
- 3.2 x 2.8
- Weight
- 17 g
- Acquired
- 1982
- Ex-collection
- Coleccionista Alemán > Christine Sodast
- Etymology
- From the Greek "haima", blood, for the red colour of its powder.
- Quality
- Buena
- Value trend
- Estable
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