GdFe 3 ͑BO 3 ͒ 4 exhibits a structural phase transition at 156 K, antiferromagnetic order of the Fe 3+ moments at 36 K, followed by a spin reorientation phase transition at 9 K. The reorientation phase transition is studied through dielectric, magnetic, and heat capacity measurements under the application of external magnetic fields of up to 7 kOe. The dielectric constant indicates the existence of two distinct anomalies at T SR = 9 K that separate in temperature under external magnetic fields. The spin rotation phase transition is proven to be of the first-order nature through the magnetic analog of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Magnetodielectric effect of up to 1% is observed at 8 K and 7 kOe. The uniaxial magnetocaloric effect along the c axis is observed below the spin reorientation phase transition of 9 K. GdFe 3 ͑BO 3 ͒ 4 belongs to the trigonal system with space group R32. It is similar to huntite CaMg 3 ͑CO 3 ͒ 4 , a trigonal trapezohedral structure that is one of the five trigonal types. Borate crystals of this category are appealing because of their possible applications as single crystal minilasers due to their good luminescent and nonlinear optical properties. In particular for GdFe 3 ͑BO 3 ͒ 4 single crystals, recent studies have focused on the better understanding of its optical properties, and at the same time on its magnetic properties through phase matching of absorption and second harmonic generation spectra. 1,2 The magnetic properties of the rareearth iron borates are also of fundamental interest because of the existence and mutual interference of two magnetic subsystems ͑Fe and Gd͒. The understanding of the magnetic orders of the gadolinium and iron sublattices, and the coupling between the iron spins and the gadolinium moments that contributes to the crystal's rich magnetic properties is of fundamental importance.The crystal structure of huntite has been analyzed and described elsewhere, 3-5 it consists of GdO 6 bipyramids and FeO 6 octahedrons. The octahedrons form threefold helicoidal chains along the c axis. The bipyramids are located between three nearly equal distant octahedrons. Rare-earth iron borates, RFe 3 ͑BO 3 ͒ 4 ͑R =Eu to Ho, and Y͒, undergo a structural transition at higher temperatures and an antiferromagnetic ͑AFM͒ transition involving the Fe spins at T N Ϸ 35 K. 6 For R = Gd a weakly first-order structural phase transition at T 1 = 156 K changes the structural symmetry from R32 to P3 1 2 1 . 5 A second-order phase transition at T N = 36 K results in the AFM ordering of the Fe 3+ magnetic moments aligned in the basal plane. At T SR = 9 K, another sharp phase transition occurs characterized by a spin reorientation of the Fe 3+ magnetic moments by 90°from the basal plane to the c axis.The coupling between the Gd moments and the Fe spins at low temperatures is strong in GdFe 3 ͑BO 3 ͒ 4 and it was speculated that the reorientation of the AFM iron spin system is triggered by the anisotropy of the Gd moments aligned with the c axis. 6 This exchange interaction is indirect and ...