What looks like metal but is considered a crystal?
My favorite shinyite gemstone- Hematitie!
Weeelll actually...Hematite isn't classified officially as a gemstone, Instead, it's an iron oxide mineral and relatively soft one at that. With a hardness of just 5.5, you can scratch the Hematite mineral with a metal nail or similar item, and it can break if struck hard against a surface, so don't plan on using it as a hammer!
Despite its fragility, Hematite is a symbol of strength, worn by warriors to improve their chance of survival. Go figure. Maybe because they take a scratching and keep on going? Or maybe because the name Hematite comes from the Greek word for blood and is rusty in appearance, like a warrior after battle. Or me after a trip down the stairs...
Fun fact:
Fine grained Hematite is what gives Mars its red hue.
Perhaps this is really an alien stone! 👽👽👽
While that would be cool, Hematite actually occurs naturally on Earth and is found in sediment deposits. The world's largest deposit is in the Lake Superior district in North America. It is commonly used to make jewelry, used in the polishing process, used for heavy media separation, to produce pigments and is often put in homes for positive energy.
This shinyite is one busy stone, er, I mean mineral.
To make this shinyite even more cool, not only can it be found naturally, but it can also be manufactured! Don't let that worry you, manufacturing Hematite doesn't detract from the crystal's potent capabilities. Both natural and manufactured stones are believed to help in promoting calmness, booting confidence, and offering protection. This stone is also considered useful for healing, grounding and divination, which is beneficial for dealing with the root chakra since it aids in transforming negative energy into positive energy.
Also considered a "stone for the mind," Hematite is thought to stimulate concentration and focus, as well as enhance memory and original thought. Hematite is believed to utilize the magnet qualities of our yin-yang energies to balance the meridians within the body and to provide stable equilibrium between ethereal nervous system and the physical nervous system.
After my last trip down the stairs, I sure could use some of that stability!
