Embodiments provided herein are compositions directed to porous iron oxides, which are suitable for removing hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur-containing organic contaminants from hydrocarbon streams, and in which the iron oxide component of the composition contains both maghemite and hematite phases, with maghemite forming the greater portion of these phases. In some embodiments, magnetite, aluminum oxide, alumina silicate, and a binder comprised of an organic substance are homogenized, followed by calcining which burns away the organic and converts magnetite to a mix of maghemite and hematite.