Hematite

specimen number:
2062536

location:
Congonhas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

description:
Bright lustrous rosette of platy metallic hematite crystals with little attached topaz. Complete all around, this is in good condition with minimal damage present. Classic material for this locality.

Founded around 1700 during the Brazilian gold rush and officially designated as a municipality in 1938, Congonhas in Minas Gerais, Brazil, transitioned from gold extraction into a major center for iron mining while remaining continuously inhabited to this day. Geologically, the area is anchored by Precambrian metamorphic formations, specifically iron-rich sedimentary sequences containing extensive deposits of itabirite and high-grade iron oxide ores. Within these geologic settings, dynamic hydrothermal activity and weathering processes allow specular iron oxide crystals to grow in striking radial clusters. Popularly known as hematite roses, these prized mineral specimens form distinctive rosette shapes that mimic flower petals, drawing global interest from mineral collectors and museums alike.

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