siderite
siderite and quartz from Allevard in France
siderite from Allevard in France
siderite crystal from Brazil
Detailed sheet
siderite
Its name comes from the Greek “sideros” which means iron, it was called the iron spar.
It was identified by von Haidinger in 1845.
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
FeCO3
iron carbonate
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Main color
brown
Other colors
grey, yellow, red
Color of streak
white
Luster
pearly, vitreous
Hardness
3.5 to 4.5
Density
3.80 to 3.95
Cleavage
perfect
Fracture
uneven
easy cleavage of type calcite, pearlescent
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency
opaque, translucent
often opaque
Refractive index
1.630 - 1.875
Double refraction
0.242
very strong uniaxial ( - )
visible double refraction
Yes
Dispersion
+
Pleochroism
absent
Number of colors
1
Fluorescence
none
CRYSTALS PROPERTIES
often perfect trigonal
crystals system
trigonal
OTHER INFORMATIONS
APPROACHING GEMS
Exploited
sites
It is found in France, at Allevard in Isère, in the Tarn at Réalmont, Spain, Brazil, in Minas Gerais, Canada, England, China …
use in jewelry
only a collection stone
Daily care
and precautions
sensitive to acids
Other
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