Siderite comes from the Greek word sideros which means "iron" because of its composition. It forms in a variety of environments including clay deposits, hydrothermal veins, swamps, igneous pegmatites, and limestones. Like all carbonate minerals, it has rhombehedral cleavage and effervesces in HCl.
| FeCO3 |
|
| Carbonate |
|
| Hexagonal |
|
| -3 2/m |
|
| 3.5-4 |
|
| 3.96 |
|
| {10-11} perfect |
|
| Conchoidal |
|
| Brown |
|
| White |
|
| Vitreous |
|
| Transparent/translucent |
|
| Tabular, botyroidal |
|
| Sometimes alters to goethite |
|
| Notable Localities: |
Styria, Austria; Germany; Cornwall, England; Lake Superior Region, USA; Brazil; Bolivia |
| Uses: |
Ore of iron |
Specimens:
