Ilmenite is commonly recognized in altered igneous rocks by the presence of a white alteration product, thepseudo-mineralleucoxene. Often ilmenites are rimmed with leucoxene, which allows ilmenite to be distinguished frommagnetiteand other iron-titanium oxides. The example shown in the image at right is typical of leucoxene-rimmed ilmenite.

In reflected light it may be distinguished frommagnetiteby more pronounced reflectionpleochroismand a brown-pink tinge.

Ilmenite is weakly magnetic, with a weak response to a hand magnet.