Mineral 1.0: Magnetite

Mineral 1.0

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MagnetiteFe₃O₄

Class: Oxide
Hardness: 5.5 - 6.5
Density: 5.2
Streak: Black
Lustre: Dull metallic to splendent
Habit: Granular habit of fine grains. Some octahedral crystals may form.
Colours: Black
   Crystal System: Isometric
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Subconchoidal
Magnetism: Strong
Reaction with HCl: Unknown
Identification in hand sample:
Highly magnetic. Habit and colour are also indicators.
Associations:
Very common accessory mineral found in a wide variety of igneous and metamorphic rocks, usually as small grains.
Industrial / ecomonic uses:
Mined for iron. Crushed magnetite also been used as aggregate to make high-density concrete for specialized applications, such as nuclear reactors.



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