Hematite is an iron(III) oxide mineral with the idealized composition Fe₂O₃, crystallizing primarily in the trigonal (corundum-type) structure and serving as a major ore of iron. It exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering with weak ferromagnetism above the Morin transition and is characterized by high density, high refractive index, and strong optical absorption in the visible range. In materials science and geochemistry, hematite is important for redox processes, environmental remediation, and as a catalyst or photocatalyst support, while in sedimentology and planetary science it is used as an indicator of oxidative conditions and aqueous alteration.
A team of Brazilian researchers discovered the first direct evidence that goethite—the mineral responsible for the brown color of soils—can withstand extreme pressures and temperatures all the way to the planet's interior ...
Earth Sciences
7 hours ago
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More than 20 years after NASA's Spirit rover landed on Mars, a researcher from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has uncovered new evidence that suggests water may once have covered large parts of the red planet.
Astronomy
Jul 28, 2026
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A joint research team from the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGCAS) and Shandong University has for the first time identified crystalline hematite (α-Fe2O3) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) formed by ...
Planetary Sciences
Nov 14, 2025
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In 2020, scientists reported the detection of hematite, an iron oxide mineral otherwise known as rust, distributed through the higher latitudes of the moon, particularly on the nearside. This came as a surprise, considering ...
Mars is easily identifiable in the night sky by its prominent red hue. Thanks to the fleet of spacecraft that have studied the planet over the last decades, we know that this red color is due to rusted iron minerals in the ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 25, 2025
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107
Hematite (α-Fe2O3) is considered one of the most promising materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under solar light. However, the drawbacks of lower charge transfer efficiency and slow oxygen evolution reaction ...
Nanomaterials
Sep 5, 2023
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