LEPIDOCROCITE on QUARTZ, ANDRANONONDAMBO, MADAGASCAR (miniature)

Lepidocrocite (γ-FeO(OH)), known as esmeraldite or hydrohematite, is a mineral classified as an iron oxide-hydroxide. It features an orthorhombic crystal structure, a hardness rating of 5, and a specific gravity of 4, exhibiting a submetallic luster with a yellow-brown streak. This mineral appears red to reddish-brown and typically forms from the rusting of iron-rich materials submerged in water. Lepidocrocite is frequently associated with the weathering of primary iron minerals and is found in iron ore deposits, often visible as rust scale within aging steel water pipes and tanks.