LEARNING CENTER
WHAT IS MAGNETITE?
Magnetite as researched by
Philip S. Callahan, Ph.D. is a substance that displays some
of the most paramagnetic properties found in all substances
of nature. Paramagnetism is a type of energy experienced in
all of nature. It is essentially the "life" of all
things. For a more in-depth study on paramagnetism, its effects
on nature, its effects on life, and the role magnetite plays,
please visit the Learning Center for Paramagnetism.
Magnetite has a profound effect
on the growth of plants. Garden vegetables react with splendid
vigor to the effects of magnetite. These effects are the result
of paramagnetism and the magnetite information described here.
Magnetite is a mineral and common ore of iron having the composition
Fe+2(Fe+3)2O4.
It occurs as a strong natural magnet known as lodestone and
crystallizes in the isometric system, usually in granular
masses but frequently in octahedral crystals. Iron-black and
opaque, with a metallic luster, it has a hardness of 5.5 to
6.5 and a specific gravity of 5.18. The world's largest magnetite
deposits are found in Sweden.
Magnetite is found in rock
strata associated with iron deposits and has been found in
the ocean floor dating from 2 to 55 million years old. Magnetite
is magnetic because its molecular structure has allowed it
to retain the alignment of particles caused by the Earth's
magnetic field during its formation many years ago. When heated
to high temperatures, magnetite loses its natural magnetism.
Not all iron deposits are magnetic, however, which for many
years posed a question. Why is magnetite only formed in certain
iron deposits? Recently an interesting theory has emerged
concerning an anaerobic bacterium, GS-15, which has been shown
to convert ferric oxide into magnetite. It is thought that
GS-15, could be responsible for the creation of magnetite
layers in many iron formations.
