Magnetite (Lodestone) Holding Iron Tacks Magnetic Iron Oxide
A lodestone or loadstone is a naturally magnetized piece of the mineral magnetite. They are naturally occurring magnets, that attract pieces of iron. Ancient people first discovered the property of magnetism in lodestone. The process by which lodestone is created has long been an open question in geology. Only a small amount of the magnetite on Earth is found magnetized as lodestone. Ordinary magnetite is attracted to a magnetic field like iron and steel is, but does not tend to become magnetized itself. Recent research has found that only a variety of magnetite with a particular crystalline structure, a mixture of magnetite and maghemite, has sufficient coercivity to remain magnetized and thus be a permanent magnet.
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Photo credit: © Phil Degginger / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: attracting, holding, iron, loadstone, lodestone, magnetic, magnetism, magnetite, mineral, minerals, oxide, specimen, specimens, tacks
