Limonite
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
About Limonite
Formula:
(Fe,O,OH,H2O)
Colour:
Light brown to brown, may be yellowish-brown
Lustre:
Earthy
Hardness:
4 - 5½
Specific Gravity:
2.7 - 4.3
Name:
Named in 1813 by Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann from the greek λειμωυ for meadow alluding to its common occurrences in bogs.
Currently used for unidentified massive hydroxides and oxides of iron, with no visible crystals, and a yellow-brown streak. 'Limonite' is most commonly the mineral species goethite, but can also consist of varying proportions of lepidocrocite, hisingerite, pitticite, jarosite group species, maghemite, hematite, etc.
Pronounciation of Limonite
Pronounciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon & Katya Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Limonite
Earthy
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Light brown to brown, may be yellowish-brown
Streak:
Yellowish brown to red
Hardness:
4 - 5½ on Mohs scale
Comment:
Massive may be very soft.
Density:
2.7 - 4.3 g/cm3 (Measured)
Chemical Properties of Limonite
Formula:
(Fe,O,OH,H2O)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Limonite
Morphology:
While "limonite" is poorly crystallized, a number of minerals are noted for decomposing to it without losing their crystal shape - particularly pyrite and siderite crystals. Any "crystals" of "limonite" are actually pseudomorphs of other minerals which have decomposed in this fashion.
Geological Environment
Geological Setting:
A very common material in the oxidized zones of iron-bearing deposits, it is produced by the decomposition of many iron minerals, particularly pyrite, with water being retained in varying amounts.
Synonyms of Limonite
Brown Hematite (in part)
Brauneisenerz (in part)
Braun-Eisenstein (in part)
Brown Iron Ore (in part)
Brown Ironstone (in part)
Conchilites (in part)
Gelberde (in part)
Pecheisenerz (in part)
Other Language Names for Limonite
Czech:Limonit
Estonian:Limoniit
French:Limonite
German:Limonit
Berggelb
Blauerz
Bohnerz
Brauneisen
Ferrohydrit
Gelbeisenstein
Glanzeisenstein
Hydrosiderit
Hyposiderit
Perlimonit
Raseneisenerz
Raseneisenstein
Rasenerz
Sumpfeisenstein
Sumpfraseneisenerz
Toneisenerz
Toneisenstein
Brauner Glaskopf(in part)
Eisenniere(in part)
Berggelb
Blauerz
Bohnerz
Brauneisen
Ferrohydrit
Gelbeisenstein
Glanzeisenstein
Hydrosiderit
Hyposiderit
Perlimonit
Raseneisenerz
Raseneisenstein
Rasenerz
Sumpfeisenstein
Sumpfraseneisenerz
Toneisenerz
Toneisenstein
Brauner Glaskopf(in part)
Eisenniere(in part)
Hebrew:לימוניט
Japanese:褐鉄鉱
Lithuanian:Limonitas
Polish:Limonit
Portuguese:Limonite
Romanian:Limonit
Russian:Лимонит
Slovak:Limonit
Varieties of Limonite
| Adlerstein | Nodular concretions of iron oxides/hydroxides, mainly goethite and/or lepidocrocite, around a core of clay minerals. |
| Alumolimonite | Al-bearing Limonite |
| Avasite | Probably a siliceous limonite. Formula displayed below is very doubtful. |
| Bean Ore | A local name for a lenticular aggregated Limonite. |
| Chromiferous Limonite | A chromium-bearing variety of limonite. |
| Exotic limonite | Limonite precipitated in rock that did not formerly contain any iron-bearing sulfide. |
| Gold-bearing Limonite | A gold-bearing variety of limonite. Common in gossans of gold deposits. |
| Indigenous limonite | Sulfide-derived limonite that remains fixed at the site of the parent sulfide, often as boxworks or other encrustation. |
| Liminitogelite | |
| Limnite | Recently formed varieties of limonite (bog ore) containing much water |
| Stilpnosiderite | A colloidal form of Limonite |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 689 photos of Limonite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 436 photos of Limonite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 230 photos of Limonite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 228 photos of Limonite associated with Baryte | BaSO4 |
| 150 photos of Limonite associated with Goethite | α-Fe3+O(OH) |
| 144 photos of Limonite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 131 photos of Limonite associated with Siderite | FeCO3 |
| 119 photos of Limonite associated with Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| 98 photos of Limonite associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| 88 photos of Limonite associated with Sphalerite | ZnS |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Limonite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
- Ore
- Sedimentary rock and sediment
- Sediment
- Sedimentary rock
- Biochemical and chemical sedimentary rock
- ⓘ Ironstone
- Biochemical and chemical sedimentary rock
- Metamorphic rock
- Superficial deposit
References for Limonite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume I: 685-686.
Internet Links for Limonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2402.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
Mineral Dealers:
Significant localities for Limonite
Showing 3 significant localities out of 13,564 recorded on mindat.org.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| R Bottrill collection |
USA | |
| |
| U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. |
Christandl quarry, Peunt, Naintschgraben, Anger, Weiz District, Styria, Austria