The present invention relates to acicular hematite particles containing aluminum of 0.05 to 50% by weight, calculated as Al, having an average major axial diameter of not more than 0.3 .mu.m and a pH value of the particles of not less than 8, and containing soluble sodium salts of not more than 300 ppm soluble sodium, calculated as Na, and soluble sulfates of not more than 150 ppm soluble sulfate, calculated as SO.sub.4, which have an excellent dispersibility in a binder resin, and a magnetic recording medium which uses the hematite particles as non-magnetic particles for a non-magnetic undercoat layer, which has small light transmittance, smooth surface, high strength and high durability, and which is capable of suppressing the deterioration in the magnetic properties caused by a corrosion of the magnetic particles containing as a main ingredient in the magnetic recording layer.