Haematite, Ton Mawr quarry.

Haematite, Ton Mawr quarry.

Hematite, Fe2O3  is iron oxide, and the main ore of iron. The location of this specimen is Ton Mawr quarry, Taffs Well, South Wales. The ironstone deposits are within the Carboniferous limestone of the area, and the iron content is probably derived from the nearby red keuper marls. The specimen shows the characteristic red colour, which gave rise to the name haematite, derived from the Greek word for blood, haima. There are also vhugs of minute botryoidal goethite  in the specimen, which was collected by Gwyn Billington, an old friend, and well respected member of the Russell society, in April 1993.