The facts
What magnetite actually is
Magnetite is classified as spinel group, with the composition Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from fe²⁺–Fe³⁺ intervalence in an inverse spinel structure; opaque with metallic lustre, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Specific gravity around 5.17–5.18. Cleavage: none; octahedral parting. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where magnetite comes from
Magnetite is produced at Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico, Bolzano (Zillertal), Alps, Austria/Italy, Kiruna, Sweden and Balmat, New York, USA.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How magnetite is treated
Untreated, though 'lodestones' sold in mineral shops are often ordinary magnetite artificially magnetised. Magnetic haematite jewellery is not magnetite and not hematite either — see hematite.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What magnetite is confused with
In the trade magnetite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Chromite, Franklinite, Ilmenite or Hematite.
Because the material is opaque, refractive index is no help. Specific gravity around 5.17–5.18, hardness of 5.5–6.5, streak and magnification do the work instead.
What magnetite is used for
Demand for magnetite comes from mineral collecting, wellness and body care, heavy industry and metallurgy, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen, by the kilo or by the tonne.
Durability and care
Magnetite is 5.5–6.5 on the Mohs scale, with none; octahedral parting cleavage.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What magnetite costs
As a guide, magnetite trades around Sharp octahedral crystals $20–$500; massive ore negligible.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is magnetite treated, and how?
Untreated, though 'lodestones' sold in mineral shops are often ordinary magnetite artificially magnetised. Magnetic haematite jewellery is not magnetite and not hematite either — see hematite.
Where does magnetite come from?
Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico, Bolzano (Zillertal), Alps, Austria/Italy, Kiruna, Sweden and Balmat, New York, USA. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is magnetite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 5.5–6.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does magnetite cost?
Indicatively Sharp octahedral crystals $20–$500; massive ore negligible. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is magnetite confused with?
Most often Chromite, Franklinite, Ilmenite and Hematite. Since the material is opaque, separation relies on specific gravity near 5.17–5.18, hardness and magnification.
What is magnetite used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting, wellness and body care, heavy industry and metallurgy. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for magnetite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about magnetite