What if Hematite Ore was discovered by the Southern Mesoamericans?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematite

Would it be possible for the Mesoamerican states in South America to discover and mine Hematite ore? There were several large deposits along the coast of South America, within the Inca Empire's historical borders. If so, how would this have altered and changed the way they developed culturally and technologically?

Could this ore be used to make weaponry? I'm not sure if it has the necessary properties to be made into durable swords or similar weapons. Hopefully someone here is a bit more knowledgeable of mineral deposits than I am. :)

Note, there were numerous smaller kingdoms and empires rising and falling in this region long before the Incas, so if any of them have the ability to mine this ore then I consider them a viable candidate.
 
They'd bash it into powder and smear themselves with it (yay! red paint!) like many neolithic/paleolithic peoples IOTL did and continue to do.

Discovering that it can reduced into iron in high temperatures in the presence of carbon is a huge step. Finding out that this material can actually be worth the trouble if the carbon content happens to be just right is another.
 
I am not sure that it would have made any difference to the cultures. Most seemed to use metals for decoration and it was colour that was important.

Even if the smelters could get to a temperature they could melt iron (about 1500 centigrade, compaied to about 1000 for gold) it would not produce a metal that was at all pretty so I guess that it would fall out of fashion very quickly.

Although they had access to Bronze (certainly in the north) they didn't use it for weapons or ploughs as the Europeans did, they use it for personal decoration.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hematite

Would it be possible for the Mesoamerican states in South America to discover and mine Hematite ore? There were several large deposits along the coast of South America, within the Inca Empire's historical borders. If so, how would this have altered and changed the way they developed culturally and technologically?

Could this ore be used to make weaponry? I'm not sure if it has the necessary properties to be made into durable swords or similar weapons. Hopefully someone here is a bit more knowledgeable of mineral deposits than I am. :)

Note, there were numerous smaller kingdoms and empires rising and falling in this region long before the Incas, so if any of them have the ability to mine this ore then I consider them a viable candidate.

More likely magnetite but same problem - you need technologies that even the Europeans didin't have until the 17th and 18th centuries.
 
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