Magnetite Mineral Data

Magnetite Mineral Data +

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General Magnetite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++Fe+++2O4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 231.54 gm

Iron 72.36 % Fe 31.03 % FeO / 68.97 % Fe₂O₃

Oxygen 27.64 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe³⁺₂Fe²⁺O₄

Environment:

Common accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Can be biogenically produced by a wide variety of organisms.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Many localities and environments world wide. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Magnes, a Geek shepherd, who discovered the mineral on Mt, Ida, He noted that the nails of his shoe and the iron ferrule of his staff clung to a rock.

Synonym:

ICSD 65339

Lodestone

Magnetic iron ore

PDF 19-629

Magnetite Image

Images:

Magnetite

Comments: Black, opaque octahedral crystals of magnetite on matrix.
Location: Isle of Ischia, near Naples, Compania, Italy. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Magnetite Nordenskioldine

Comments: Colorless to white bladed crystals of nordenski?ldine with black magnetite.
Location: P?hla-Tellerh?user Gallery, P?hla, Schwarzenberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Magnetite Chesterite

Comments: Green platy chesterite in black, metallic magnetite.
Location: Near Missoula, Missoula County, Montana, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Magnetite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.391, Z = 8; V = 590.80 Den(Calc)= 5.21

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F d3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.53(1), 1.483(0.85), 1.614(0.85),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 1 1 1]

Warning: this large pop-up is very compute intensive and may not work well with some computers.

Crystal Structure:

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Wechsler B A , Lindsley D H , Prewitt C T , American Mineralogist , 69 (1984) p.754-770, Crystal structure and cation distribution in titanomagnetites (Fe3-xTixO4), MT100-1350

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Magnetite
[1] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [2] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [3] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [4] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Magnetite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Grayish black, Iron black.

Density:

5.1 - 5.2, Average = 5.15

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Sub Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by semi-curving surfaces.

Habit:

Crystalline - Fine - Occurs as well-formed fine sized crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

5.5-6 - Knife Blade-Orthoclase

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Metallic

Magnetism:

Naturally strong

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Magnetite

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2.42.

RL Color:

Gray with brownish tint.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Magnetite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	22.30
420 nm	21.80
440 nm	21.30
460 nm	20.80
480 nm	20.50
500 nm	20.30
520 nm	20.30
540 nm	20.40
560 nm	20.50
580 nm	20.60
600 nm	20.60
620 nm	20.70
640 nm	20.80
660 nm	20.90
680 nm	21.00
700 nm	21.20

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Magnetite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	50%	100%	150%	200%	250%	300%	350%	400%	430%
R

Calculated Properties of Magnetite

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.95 gm/cc
note: r_Magnetite=5.21 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01547
Boson Index = 0.98453

Photoelectric:

PE_Magnetite= 22.14 barns/electron
U=PE_Magnetite x r_electron= 109.58 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Magnetite is Not Radioactive

Magnetite Classification

Dana Class:

7.2.2.3 (7)Multiple Oxides

(7.2)(A+ B++)2 X4 Spinel group

(7.2.2)(Iron subgroup)

7.2.2.1 Magnesioferrite MgFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.2 Jacobsite (Mn,Fe,Mg)(Fe,Mn)2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.3 Magnetite FeFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.4 Franklinite (Zn,Mn,Fe)(Fe,Mn)2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.5 Trevorite NiFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.6 Cuprospinel (Cu,Mg)Fe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

7.2.2.7 Brunogeierite (Ge,Fe)Fe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

IV/B.02-20 IV - Oxides

IV/B - Oxides with metal : oxygen = 3:4 (spinel type M3O4 and related), Ferrite-Spinels

IV/B.02 - Spinel group, Magnesioferrite - Franklinite series

IV/B.02-10 Magnesioferrite MgFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/B.02-20 Magnetite FeFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/B.02-30 Jacobsite (Mn,Fe,Mg)(Fe,Mn)2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/B.02-40 Trevorite NiFe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/B.02-50 Cuprospinel (Cu,Mg)Fe2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/B.02-60 Franklinite (Zn,Mn,Fe)(Fe,Mn)2O4 F d3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Magnetite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic3)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Magnetite Specimen Label here :

Magnetite

Fe++Fe+++2O4
Dana No: 7.2.2.3 Strunz No: IV/B.02-20
Locality:

Notes: