Goethite

Goethite is a mineral that contains iron, and is prized as an iron ore. Being composed of the ferrite form of iron, plus oxygen and hydrogen — chemical formula: α-FeO(OH) — Goethite is one of the components in common rust. But when it solidifies under heat and pressure within the earth to form a hard rock, it can be really beautiful!

This mineral specimen of Goethite pictured on the right was purchased by me from a seller on eBay many years ago, maybe 2002 or 2003. I forget exactly what I paid for it, but the cost was probably around $15-$20 USD.

I immediately fell in love with those pretty orange bands that arc around the piece and was fascinated by the geometry. It is a freeform sample and very unique, as I have never seen another sample since that is similar.

This mineral specimen is only black, brown, and orange/gold. All of the whitish and bluish streaks are reflections of light. I tried to minimize these when I photographed the piece, but I am not a professional photographer, so I could not eliminate them all. There are so many little twists-and-turns in the surface of the rock, and it is polished in places, so it was quite a challenge.

If I understand the pronunciation rules for German correctly, "oe" is sounded as "er" — therefore, it should be pronounced: GER' ٠ thīte — because it is named after the famous Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This mineral has been used as a source of pigment for making brown ochre. I like collecting mineral specimens, in general. However, admittedly, it was the pretty arcs of butterscotch-colored orange/gold that convinced me I had to have this piece! LOL