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Magnetite
Magnetite is oxide (iron), Fe₃O₄. In the hand, it rates 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, and it runs iron black and gray-black. Black metallic octahedra or chunks that pull strongly on a magnet, and lodestone pieces ARE magnets, grabbing paperclips themselves. Igneous and metamorphic rocks worldwide; notable: Utah (USA), Sweden, Brazil, Bolivia.
The geology.
Magnetite carries the formula Fe₃O₄. It belongs to the isometric system. It is classified as oxide (iron).
It sits at 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads metallic to dull. Light behaviour is opaque. Specific gravity runs 5.17. The streak is black. It breaks with no cleavage; uneven fracture.
Black metallic octahedra or chunks that pull strongly on a magnet, and lodestone pieces ARE magnets, grabbing paperclips themselves.
You will most often meet it as octahedral crystals, massive ore, lodestone chunks or black sand.
The origins.
Igneous and metamorphic rocks worldwide; notable: Utah (USA), Sweden, Brazil, Bolivia.
On value, the database notes: common and affordable.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, associated with attraction and polarity balance.
People buy on this language, so it belongs on the page. It belongs under the facts, though, not over them.
Spotting the real thing.
Black metallic octahedra or chunks that pull strongly on a magnet, and lodestone pieces ARE magnets, grabbing paperclips themselves.
Man-made ferrite 'lodestones' exist; natural lodestone is rough and irregular, not molded.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Hematite | Hematite streaks red-brown and ignores magnets; magnetite streaks black and attracts strongly |
| Chromite | Chromite is only weakly magnetic with a brown streak |
| Black tourmaline | Tourmaline is non-metallic and non-magnetic |
At-home tests.
You can run every one of these at a kitchen table. Good light matters more than gear when you are looking at magnetite.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Magnet check | Strong magnet attraction (definitive) |
| By eye | Black streak |
| By eye | Octahedral (8-faced) crystal forms |
Destructive tests belong to a gemologist, not a kitchen table. If a piece matters to you, pay for an appraisal before you take a file to it.
Care & handling.
At 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with no cleavage; uneven fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Clean it by hand, dry it properly, and keep it away from ultrasonic cleaners and hot steam.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is Fe₃O₄. Crystal system: Isometric. Specific gravity: 5.17. Streak: Black. Cleavage and fracture: No cleavage; uneven fracture.
How it reaches the market
Igneous and metamorphic rocks worldwide; notable: Utah (USA), Sweden, Brazil, Bolivia.
What it gets confused with
Hematite: Hematite streaks red-brown and ignores magnets; magnetite streaks black and attracts strongly. Chromite: Chromite is only weakly magnetic with a brown streak. Black tourmaline: Tourmaline is non-metallic and non-magnetic.
What it is worth
Common and affordable.
Where buyers get caught
Man-made ferrite 'lodestones' exist; natural lodestone is rough and irregular, not molded.
One more thing
Magnetotactic bacteria, honeybees, and homing pigeons all carry magnetite crystals as built-in compasses.
An education-first guide.
We do not stock magnetite. Writing it up regardless is the point of a reference library.
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