The magnetite mineral has an outdated name - magnetic iron ore. This is a fairly common mineral. They knew about him from ancient times, used as a compass. This mineral was of interest to Plato. The fact is that the philosopher noted that magnetite is able to attract and be attracted to other objects. And when interacting with bodies, it is able to transfer its energy. Of course, the ancient philosopher had in mind magnetic properties, but in those days they had not yet been discovered, and, unfortunately, Plato did not have scientific proof of this phenomenon.
Why is magnetite so named?
- According to legend, there was one Greek shepherd named Magnes, in whom the nails in the shoes and part of the staff were made from this mineral. As a result, they were attracted to various objects.
- According to another version, the name came from the Turkish city of Magnesia, near which there was a mountain, famous for the fact that lightnings often fell in it.
It is interesting that in the Urals there is a mountain entirely consisting of the magnetite mineral. Its name is Magnetic Mountain. There is also the Ethiopian Mount Zimir, famous for attracting all nails and iron things on ships. It is easy to guess that for the most part it consists precisely of magnetite.
These features can be explained by the fact that magnetic iron ore contains 70 percent of pure iron. And, as you know, iron has magnetic properties.
Due to such a property as magnetization, iron ore in the Middle Ages was called - a magnet. Later it was called magnetic iron ore, and later - simply magnetite, which did not change its properties.
Formula
Consider the chemical formula of magnetite. The mineral is represented by a crystalline substance of black color. If you look at the photo, there will be no doubt about it.
The magnetite formula is known as FeO * Fe 2 O 3 or Fe 3 O 4 .
That is, it is a mixture of two oxides - ferrous and ferric.
Knowing the composition of magnetite, it is easy to calculate that magnetic iron ore contains 70 percent of pure iron. The remaining 30 are oxygen.
As can be seen in the photo, this mineral has a metallic luster, rarely - matte and is not transparent.
Properties of the magnetite mineral
Of course, we understand that legends tend to exaggerate, to the so-called grotesque, but after all, something initially provoked their appearance.
These legends about mountains and the shepherd are based on the strongly manifested ferromagnetic properties of iron ore. Moreover, magnetite sand, that is, magnetite, brought by grinding to a state of sand, also has similar properties. The photo shows how he looks.
The magnetization of the iron ore is so strong that it can change the compass reading, attracting the poles of the device to itself.
Another of its features is a conchoid fracture. What does it mean? A crusty fracture is formed when the object under study is split, while the fracture itself is similar to the shell of a bivalve mollusk. All this is due to the composition and physical properties inherent in the substance. Hence the name - conchoidal fracture (due to similarity to the shell).
The mineral magnetite is brittle, it is a semiconductor, but its electrical conductivity is low.
As mentioned earlier, it is very magnetic. This property is so pronounced that the mineral can change the compass. By the way, they find it that way: if the compass needle behaves strangely, then the mineral is nearby. After all, she "rushes" between the familiar pole and the breed that attracts her most.
It is noteworthy that the Curie point is in the range from 550 Kelvin to 600. If the temperature is lower, then the metal is ferromagnetic, if higher, then it is paramagnetic.
What is the Curie point (Curie temperature)?
Now it remains to understand these terms. First, find out what the Curie point is. This term means the phase transition temperature at which the properties of a substance change. For example, iron becomes malleable and ductile, and magnetite becomes paramagnetic.
What is ferromagnetism?
We have used this term more than once in this article, but we have never mentioned its meaning. We will fix this error right now.
Ironically, ferromagnets possess ferromagnetism. The latter are named so because they are able to possess magnetization without external interference, for example, a force field.
What is paramagnetism?
Accordingly, we will understand what paramagnetism is. For this, we give an explanation of the concept of "paramagnetics." These are substances that in a force field, namely in an external magnetic field, are magnetized in the direction of the force field.
It is logical to assume that diamagnets are magnetized under similar conditions against the direction of an external magnetic field.
But we will not delve into this topic. To fully understand it, you will have to write a separate article, since such information is replete with specific terms, and it is not possible to understand this topic in a couple of sentences.
Impurities in magnetite
Very often, magnetic iron contains impurities such as manganese, vanadium, titanium, chromium, and others. If the proportion of such impurities in magnetite is large, then the varieties of this mineral are distinguished. For example, titanomagnetite, it is also called ilmenite.
Deposits of magnetite
This mineral is quite common and very common. Most often it is found in iron ores. Most often, this rock is formed as a result of metamorphic or magmatic transformations.
In the Chelyabinsk region there are deposits of tatanomagnetite. More precisely, this place is called the Kusinsky field. At this point, the ores mainly consist of the above magnetite, chlorite and ilmenite.
The Kopan titanomagnetite deposit is also developing. It is located in the South Urals.
As we have already said, this breed is very common, so magnetic iron ore is found in Canada, South Africa, New York, etc.
Interestingly, magnetite was not widely used in jewelry. However, everyone can buy a jewelry made of this mineral; such jewelry has a relatively low price, and they are affordable for any buyer. You can buy a bracelet made of magnetite, its approximate price is 600-700 rubles. But this, of course, depends on the country in which you purchase the goods.
In addition to jewelry, it is also used in ferrous metallurgy, making steel from it. It is also used to produce vanadium and phosphorus. It is understood that magnetite is the main ore for the extraction of iron. This mineral has found application in medicine. Due to its magnetic properties, it is used to remove metal objects from the esophagus.
Now you can summarize the information contained in the article. Mineral magnetite or magnetic iron ore is very common. If you take a handful of sand, then the chance is great that in your hands will be a grain of sand of magnetic iron ore. This mineral is very unusual in its properties, which is why it is actively used in various fields.