Siderite
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About Siderite
Formula:
FeCO3
Colour:
Yellowish-brown to greyish-brown, pale yellow to tannish, grey, brown, green, red, black and sometimes nearly colourless; tarnished iridescent at times; colourless to yellow and yellow-brown in transmitted light.
Lustre:
Vitreous, Silky, Pearly
Hardness:
3½ - 4½
Specific Gravity:
3.96
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1845 by Wilhelm Karl von Haidinger from the Greek "σίδηρος" (sideros), "iron", in allusion to its composition.
Calcite Group. Magnesite-Siderite Series, Rhodochrosite-Siderite Series, Siderite-Smithsonite Series.
Crystals typically found as brown to tan rhombohedrons in clusters, faces often curved or composites; more often found as medium to dark brown massive fine-grained material or as massive crystalline material with exposed curved cleavage surfaces.
Fungi like Lichenothelia may oxidize iron to produce siderite, which is then a biomineral (e.g., Burford et al., 2003).
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Siderite.
Crystals typically found as brown to tan rhombohedrons in clusters, faces often curved or composites; more often found as medium to dark brown massive fine-grained material or as massive crystalline material with exposed curved cleavage surfaces.
Fungi like Lichenothelia may oxidize iron to produce siderite, which is then a biomineral (e.g., Burford et al., 2003).
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Siderite.
Classification of Siderite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
5/B.02-40
5.AB.05
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
A : Carbonates without additional anions, without H2O
B : Alkali-earth (and other M2+) carbonates
Dana 7th ed.:
14.1.1.3
14.1.1.3
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
1 : A(XO3)
14 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL CARBONATES
1 : A(XO3)
11.13.1
11 : Carbonates
13 : Carbonates of Fe
11 : Carbonates
13 : Carbonates of Fe
Pronounciation of Siderite
Pronounciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon & Katya Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Siderite
Vitreous, Silky, Pearly
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Yellowish-brown to greyish-brown, pale yellow to tannish, grey, brown, green, red, black and sometimes nearly colourless; tarnished iridescent at times; colourless to yellow and yellow-brown in transmitted light.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ - 4½ on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on {1011}.
Perfect on {1011}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
3.96(1) g/cm3 (Measured) 3.932 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Siderite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.875 nε = 1.633
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.242
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
High
Dispersion:
Strong
Chemical Properties of Siderite
Formula:
FeCO3
IMA Formula:
Fe(CO3)
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Mn,Mg,Ca,Zn,Co
Crystallography of Siderite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:
R3c
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.6916 Å, c = 15.3796 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 3.278
Unit Cell V:
293.17 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
6
Morphology:
Crystals usually rhombohedral {1011} or {0112}, often curved or with composite faces; also more rarely thin to thick tabular {0001}, prismatic [0001] with {1120}, or scalenohedral; most often found as massive material, either fine-grained in sedimentary settings or massively crystalline in metamorphic settings; may also be botryoidal or globular with a fibrous internal structure.
Twinning:
On {0112}, lamellar, uncommon, with translation gliding on {0001} or {1011}. On {0001}, rare.
Crystallographic forms of Siderite
Crystal Atlas:
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Siderite no.27 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Siderite no.50 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
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X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.59 | (30) |
| 2.80 | (100) |
| 2.35 | (20) |
| 2.13 | (20) |
| 1.965 | (20) |
| 1.738 | (30) |
| 1.732 | (40) |
| 1.506 | (10) |
Synonyms of Siderite
Other Language Names for Siderite
French:Fer carbonaté
Sidérose
Sidérose
German:Aerosiderit
Bemmelenit
Brachytyper Parachrosbaryt
Chalybit
Eisenkalk
Eisenspat
Eisenspath (of Hausmann)
Gyrit
Järn med Kalkjord förenadt
Junckérit
Kohlensaures Eisen
Pelosiderit
Siderit
Spateisenstein
Spatheisenstein
Spathiger Eisen
Stahelreich Eisen
Stahlstein
Thomaît
Weißeisenerz
Bemmelenit
Brachytyper Parachrosbaryt
Chalybit
Eisenkalk
Eisenspat
Eisenspath (of Hausmann)
Gyrit
Järn med Kalkjord förenadt
Junckérit
Kohlensaures Eisen
Pelosiderit
Siderit
Spateisenstein
Spatheisenstein
Spathiger Eisen
Stahelreich Eisen
Stahlstein
Thomaît
Weißeisenerz
Russian:Сидерит
Simplified Chinese:菱铁矿
Swedish:Spatformig Jernmalm
Varieties of Siderite
| Ca-rich Siderite | A calcian siderite, with up to 20 mol% of calcite. Originally reported from Radstadt, Salzburg, Austria. |
| Kobalt-oligonspath | A cobalt-bearing siderite. |
| Kolloid-siderite | A collodial variety of Siderite |
| Lady's Slipper | An epimorph of Siderite after Barite collected in reasonable numbers in the 19th century from the Virtuous Lady mine in Devon and widely distributed in collections worldwide. How the Siderite managed to remain unaltered while the Barite was subsequently d... |
| Manganoan Siderite | |
| Manganosphaerite | |
| Mg-rich Siderite | A magnesian variety of siderite |
| Oligonite | An unnecessary name for a manganoan variety of siderite, with up to 40% MnCO3 [Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index"]. |
| Pistomesite | Obsolete name for a magnesian variety of siderite with the Fe:Mg atomic ratio ranging from 70:30 to 50:50. Originally reported from Thurnberg Mt., Flachau, Radstadt, Salzburg, Austria. |
| Sideroplesite | Obsolete name for a magnesian variety of siderite with the Fe : Mg atomic ratio ranging from 70 : 30 to 90 : 10. |
| Sphärosiderite | A microcrystalline, botryoidal variety of siderite |
| Wood iron (2) | A fibrous variety of siderite |
| Zincian Siderite | A zinc-bearing variety of siderite. |
Relationship of Siderite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
| Calcite | CaCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| Gaspéite | Ni(CO3) | Hex. |
| Magnesite | MgCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| Otavite | CdCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) |
| Rhodochrosite | MnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| Smithsonite | ZnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
| Clays | A group of minerals, common in soils (see also the rock clay). |
| Coal | An organic-rich-rock with less than 50% ash (by weight air dried) or more than 50% organic matter. |
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| Quartz | 2,693 photos of Siderite associated with Quartz on mindat.org. |
| Calcite | 1,607 photos of Siderite associated with Calcite on mindat.org. |
| Pyrite | 1,355 photos of Siderite associated with Pyrite on mindat.org. |
| Sphalerite | 1,184 photos of Siderite associated with Sphalerite on mindat.org. |
| Galena | 832 photos of Siderite associated with Galena on mindat.org. |
| Chalcopyrite | 565 photos of Siderite associated with Chalcopyrite on mindat.org. |
| Fluorapatite | 448 photos of Siderite associated with Fluorapatite on mindat.org. |
| Fluorite | 363 photos of Siderite associated with Fluorite on mindat.org. |
| Baryte | 359 photos of Siderite associated with Baryte on mindat.org. |
| Dolomite | 347 photos of Siderite associated with Dolomite on mindat.org. |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 5.AB.05 | Calcite | CaCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 5.AB.05 | Gaspéite | Ni(CO3) | Hex. |
| 5.AB.05 | Magnesite | MgCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 5.AB.05 | Otavite | CdCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) |
| 5.AB.05 | Rhodochrosite | MnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 5.AB.05 | Smithsonite | ZnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 5.AB.05 | Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 5.AB.10 | Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 5.AB.10 | Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 5.AB.10 | Kutnohorite | CaMn2+(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 5.AB.10 | Minrecordite | CaZn(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 5.AB.15 | Aragonite | CaCO3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| 5.AB.15 | Cerussite | PbCO3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| 5.AB.15 | Strontianite | SrCO3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| 5.AB.15 | Witherite | BaCO3 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| 5.AB.20 | Vaterite | CaCO3 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
| 5.AB.25 | Huntite | CaMg3(CO3)4 | Trig. 3 2 : R3 2 |
| 5.AB.30 | Norsethite | BaMg(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 2 : R3 2 |
| 5.AB.35 | Alstonite | BaCa(CO3)2 | Tric. |
| 5.AB.40 | Olekminskite | Sr(Sr,Ca,Ba)(CO3)2 | Trig. |
| 5.AB.40 | Paralstonite | BaCa(CO3)2 | Trig. |
| 5.AB.45 | Barytocalcite | BaCa(CO3)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| 5.AB.50 | Carbocernaite | (Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO3)2 | Orth. mm2 |
| 5.AB.55 | Benstonite | Ba6Ca6Mg(CO3)13 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
| 5.AB.60 | Juangodoyite | Na2Cu(CO3)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
| 14.1.1.1 | Calcite | CaCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 14.1.1.2 | Magnesite | MgCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 14.1.1.4 | Rhodochrosite | MnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 14.1.1.5 | Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 14.1.1.6 | Smithsonite | ZnCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c |
| 14.1.1.7 | Otavite | CdCO3 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) |
| 14.1.1.8 | Gaspéite | Ni(CO3) | Hex. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
| 11.13.2 | Pyroaurite | Mg6Fe3+2(OH)16[CO3] · 4H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
| 11.13.3 | Pyroaurite-2H | Mg6Fe3+2(OH)16(CO3) · 4H2O | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
| 11.13.4 | Brugnatellite | Mg6Fe3+(CO3)(OH)13 · 4H2O | Hex. |
| 11.13.5 | Coalingite | Mg10Fe3+2(OH)24[CO3] · 2H2O | Trig. |
| 11.13.6 | Ankerite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)2 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
Other Information
Magnetism:
Paramagnetic
Notes:
Slighty soluble in water.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
An ore of iron when found in sufficient volumes to be economically recoverable.
Siderite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
- Ore
- Igneous rock
- Sedimentary rock and sediment
- Sediment
- Sedimentary rock
- Biochemical and chemical sedimentary rock
- ⓘ Ironstone
- Organic-rich-rock
- Biochemical and chemical sedimentary rock
References for Siderite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Gesner, C. (1565) De omni rerum fossilium genere, gemmis, lapidibus, metallis, etc. Tiguri (as Stahelreich Eisen).
Wallerius, J.G (1747) Mineralogia, eller Mineralriket. Stockholm (as Spatformig Jernmalm).
Cronstedt, A. (1758) Mineralogie; eller Mineral-Rikets Upstallning. Stockholm: 29 (as Stahlstein).
de Lisle, R. (1783) Cristallographie, ou description des formes propres à tous les corps du regne minéral. 4 volumes, Paris: 3: 281 (as Fer spatique).
Wollaston (1812) Phil. Trans.: 159.
Hausmann, J.F.L. (1813) Handbuch der Mineralogie 3 volumes, Göttingen. Second edition: 951, 952 (as Eisenspath).
Glocker, E.F. (1847) Generum et specierum mineralien secundum ordines naturals digestorum synopsis. Halle: 241.
Johnsen (1902) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: II: 133.
Hutchinson (1903) Mineralogical Magazine: 13: 209.
Kreutz (1909) Mineralogical Magazine: 15: 232.
Goldschmidt, V. (1916) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 3: 107.
Honess (1918) American Journal of Science: 45: 201.
Wyckoff (1920) American Journal of Science: 50: 317.
Niggli (1921) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 56: 224.
Klerk (1926) Beiträge zur Krystallographie und Mineralogie, Heidelberg: 3: 85.
Schoklitsch (1935) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 90: 433.
Fornaseri (1941) Rendus soc. min. ital. (1941): 1: 60.
Wayland, R.G. (1942) Composition, specific gravity and refractive indices of rhodochrosite; rhodochrosite from Butte, Montana. American Mineralogist: 27: 614.
Rowland, R.A. and Jonas, E.C. (1949) Variations in differential thermal analysis curves of siderite. American Mineralogist: 34: 550.
Palache, C., Berman, H., and Frondel, C. (1951) The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 166-171.
Henderson, E.P. and Perry, S.H. (1958) Studies of seven siderites: Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum: 107: 339-403.
Goldsmith, J.R., Graf, D.L., Witters, J., and Northrop, D.A. (1962) Studies in the system CaCO3•MgCO3•FeCO3: (1) Phase relations; (2) A method for major element spectrochemical analyses; and (3) Composition of some ferroan dolomites. Journal of Geology: 70: 659-688.
Effenberger, H., Mereiter, K., Zemann, J. (1981): Crystal structure refinements of magnesite, calcite, rhodochrosite, siderite, smithonite [sic], and dolomite, with discussion of some aspects of the stereochemistry of calcite type carbonates. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 156, 233-243.
Gaines, R.V., Skinner, H.C.W., Foord, E.E., Mason, B., and Rosenzweig, A. (1997) Dana's New Mineralogy: The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 435.
Reviews in Mineralogy, Mineralogical Society of America: 11.
Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2003) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume V. Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 813pp.: 644.
Burford, E.P., Kierans, M., and Gadd, G.M. (2003) Geomycology: fungi in mineral substrata. Mycologist: 17(3): 98-107; DOI: 10.1017/S0269915X03003112
E. Boulard, F. Guyot, and G. Fiquet (2012) The influence on Fe content on Raman spectra and unit cell parameters of magnesite–siderite solid solutions. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 39: 239-246.
Internet Links for Siderite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3647.html
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Localities for Siderite
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- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
Panasqueira Mines, Covilhã, Castelo Branco District, Portugal