The name of two ores of iron, the red hematite and the brown hematite They are both of a fibrous structure, and the fibers, though sometimes nearly parallel, usually diverge, or even radiate from a center. They rarely occur amorphous, but almost always in concretions, reniform, globular, botryoidal, stalactitic, etc. The red hematite is a variety of the red oxyd; its streak and powder are always nearly blood red. The brown hematite is a variety of the brown oxyd or hydrate of iron; its streak and powder are always of a brownish yellow. The red hematite is also called blood-stone.

An important ore of iron, the sesquioxide, so called because of the red color of the powder. It occurs in splendent rhombohedral crystals, and in massive and earthy forms; -- the last called red ocher. Called also specular iron, oligist iron, rhombohedral iron ore, and bloodstone. See Brown hematite, under Brown.