Limonite
Limonite is an oxide / hydroxide mineral prized by collectors for its exceptional color range, with known Chinese sources.
About Limonite
Limonite is an oxide / hydroxide mineral and has the chemical formula FeO(OH)·nH2O. It crystallizes in the amorphous to cryptocrystalline system and is one of the most visually varied minerals in the collector market.
Identification & care
Crystals commonly develop as earthy masses, botryoidal, stalactitic, pseudomorphous after pyrite (limonite box works), mammillary; no true crystals. Its color range is broad, including yellow-brown, ochre yellow, dark brown, rusty brown, and black. The luster is earthy, dull, silky (when fibrous), the streak is yellow-brown to ochre, and specimens are typically opaque. The fracture is earthy to conchoidal, which is one of its key identifying features.
Collector context
Collector notes
Among ornamental materials, Limonite has a recognized place in collections. Limonite is widely represented across Chinese provinces, including Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi.