Limonite
A mixture of two or more distinct mineral species
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About Limonite
Lustre:
Earthy
Name:
Named in 1813 by Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann from the Greek λειμών for meadow alluding to its common occurrences in bogs.
A Mixture Of:
Used as a field-term 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, hematite and/or maghemite, along with impurities of other minerals such as quartz and clays.
Other iron minerals such as hisingerite, pitticite and jarosite group species can also be easily mistaken for an iron oxide coating/replacement, and varlamoffite is a similar yellow-brown crust composed primarily of tin oxide (cassiterite).
Other iron minerals such as hisingerite, pitticite and jarosite group species can also be easily mistaken for an iron oxide coating/replacement, and varlamoffite is a similar yellow-brown crust composed primarily of tin oxide (cassiterite).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2402
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2402:6
Similar Names
| Lamboanite | A synonym of 'Cordierite-garnet gneiss' | |
| Lemoynite | A valid IMA mineral species | (Na,K)2CaZr2Si10O26 · 5H2O |
| Limnite | A variety of 'Limonite' | |
| Lionite (of Berdell) | A synonym of Native Tellurium | |
| Lionite (of Krantz) | A synonym of 'Chillagite' | |
| Lumnite | ||
| Simonite | A valid IMA mineral species | TlHgAs3S6 |
Pronunciation of Limonite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Limonite
Earthy
Transparency:
Opaque
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
Brauneisen
Eisenhydroxyde
Ferrohydrit
Gelbeisenstein
Glanzeisenstein
Hydrosiderit
Hyposiderit
Perlimonit
Raseneisenerz
Raseneisenstein
Rasenerz
Sumpfeisenstein
Sumpfraseneisenerz
Toneisenerz
Toneisenstein
Aetit (in part)
Brauner Glaskopf (in part)
Eisenniere (in part)
Gelberde (in part)
Berggelb
Blauerz
Brauneisen
Eisenhydroxyde
Ferrohydrit
Gelbeisenstein
Glanzeisenstein
Hydrosiderit
Hyposiderit
Perlimonit
Raseneisenerz
Raseneisenstein
Rasenerz
Sumpfeisenstein
Sumpfraseneisenerz
Toneisenerz
Toneisenstein
Aetit (in part)
Brauner Glaskopf (in part)
Eisenniere (in part)
Gelberde (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. German word literally meaning 'eagle stone'. |
| Alumolimonite | Al-bearing Limonite |
| Avasite | Probably a siliceous limonite. Reported formula is very doubtful. |
| Bean Ore | A local name for a lenticular (bean-shaped) aggregated limonite. |
| Chromium-bearing Limonite | A chromium-bearing variety of limonite. |
| Exotic limonite | Limonite precipitated in rock that did not formerly contain any iron-bearing sulfide. Compare with indigenous limonite. |
| 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. Compare with: exotic limonite, relief limonite. Ref: AGI |
| Liminitogelite | |
| Limnite | Recently formed varieties of limonite (bog ore) containing much water |
| Stilpnosiderite | A colloidal form of Limonite |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 1,399 photos of Limonite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 813 photos of Limonite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 493 photos of Limonite associated with Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| 471 photos of Limonite associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| 438 photos of Limonite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 411 photos of Limonite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 346 photos of Limonite associated with Baryte | BaSO4 |
| 192 photos of Limonite associated with Siderite | FeCO3 |
| 164 photos of Limonite associated with Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| 159 photos of Limonite associated with Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
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.
Internet Links for Limonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2402.html
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References for Limonite
Reference List:
Blanchard, Roland (1944) Chemical and mineralogical composition of twenty typical "limonites". American Mineralogist, 29 (3-4) 111-114
Holser, W. T. (1953) Limonite is goethite. Acta Crystallographica, 6 (6) 565 doi:10.1107/s0365110x53001538
Nambu, Matsuo (1956) Mineral Composition of Limonite. Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Japan, 3 (1) 53-76 doi:10.2465/gkk1952.3.53
Significant localities for Limonite
Showing 5 significant localities out of 15,471 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 references and 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 |
Italy | |
| Giannetti (1873) +1 other reference |
| Giannetti (1873) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| |
| - (2005) |
Christandl quarry, Peunt, Naintschgraben, Anger, Weiz District, Styria, Austria