Rocks, Minerals & Ores
Metamorphic Rocks and Minerals
Magnetite
Divalent iron oxideIron Hat Mine, Amboy, San Bernardino Co, CA
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Metamorphic Rocks and Minerals
Magnetite is an iron oxide mineral (Fe3O4) that stands out for its strong natural magnetism—the strongest of all naturally occurring minerals. With a black metallic luster and a high iron content, it forms in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. At the Iron Hat Mine near Amboy in San Bernardino County, California, magnetite is found in well-crystallized forms. It has long been mined for iron and is also significant in geophysical and magnetic studies.