What Ores Are Naturally Magnetic? A Guide to Common Magnetic Minerals

Now, look here, let’s talk a bit about magnetic ores. You know, it’s kinda like when you got that fridge magnet, and you try sticking it on all sorts of stuff to see what it picks up, right? Well, in the ground, there’s all kinds of rocks that got the same thing going on—they either attract a magnet or they don’t, and that’s where we start talking about them “magnetic ores.”

So, what kinda rocks are magnetic?

First off, let me tell you about the most common one folks know about – iron ore. Iron ore is like the big deal in the world of magnetic stuff. Iron itself is real good with magnets, so iron ore rocks just love to attract ’em. There’s this special rock called magnetite that’s extra strong with magnets; you hold a magnet near that one, and it just about jumps up to meet it! That’s because magnetite’s got a whole lot of iron in it, and iron is real friendly with magnets.

Now, there are other magnetic rocks too, like hematite and pyrrhotite. Hematite might not be as grabby as magnetite, but it’s got its own charm with magnets. Pyrrhotite, on the other hand, is one of those rocks that’s a bit temperamental – it’s magnetic, but it’s got a weaker pull. But hey, it still counts, right?

Now, when they dig up these ores, they gotta know which ones are magnetic and which ones ain’t. Sometimes the mining folks call these real strong magnetic ones “ferromagnetic” ores. Fancy word, ain’t it? But all it means is that the rock’s pretty strong at sticking to a magnet.

Other Rocks and Minerals – Do They Got Magnetism?

Okay, so we got the main magnetic ores – magnetite, hematite, and pyrrhotite. But there’s more! Some rocks are only a little bit magnetic, and they don’t really stick to magnets much, like those igneous rocks. They got a basic kinda make-up, so they’re not all that interested in magnets. And don’t go thinking every rock you pick up’s gonna act like iron ore! Most rocks don’t got much magnetism in ’em at all.

Now, there’s also something called serpentinite – now that’s a rock that’s magnetic too, but not as strong as our good ol’ iron ores. Serpentinite’s a metamorphic rock, meaning it’s been changed by heat and pressure deep in the Earth. It got some magnetism to it, though, so it’s worth mentioning.

How They Measure Magnetism in Ores

When them mining folks are out there digging, they actually measure how strong the magnetism is in these ores. It’s like they’re looking for the ores with the biggest “pull” towards the magnet, so to speak. They’ll test out the magnetic rate of the ore, which just tells them how much it’s gonna stick to a magnet. The higher the magnetic rate, the more likely it’s something valuable, like magnetite or hematite, especially if it’s got a lot of iron in it.

Using Magnetic Separators

Once they get them ores outta the ground, they don’t just let them be. Nope, they use machines called magnetic separators. These machines help sort out the really magnetic rocks from the ones that don’t got