Red ocher is an earthy, iron-rich variety of hematite that has been used since prehistoric times as a natural pigment. It typically forms as soft, clay-like deposits or coatings and is easily identified by its distinct reddish-brown color and characteristic red streak.
Is this red ocher?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch red ocher with a known reference. Red Ocher sits at Mohs 1-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Red Ocher leaves a red streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Red Ocher typically shows a dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, reddish-brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: earthy.
Often confused with
Red Ocher vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Red Ocher leaves red, Cinnabar leaves scarlet; luster reads dull on Red Ocher and adamantine on Cinnabar.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Red Ocher leaves red, Realgar leaves orange-red; luster reads dull on Red Ocher and resinous on Realgar.
Often found alongside red ocher
Minerals reported to co-occur with red ocher. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₂O₃
- Mohs hardness
- 1-5
- Density
- 4.5-5.3 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Red
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Earthy
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Pigment, Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $5-30 per sample
Where rockhounds find red ocher
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- England
- France
- Germany
- USA
- Spain
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary deposits country, the host setting where red ocher typically forms. If you start seeing hematite, clay, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a earthy habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Mississippi. Start trip planning there.
More red ocher photos
Common questions
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Find red ocher on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
