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Lodestone is a piece of magnetite that is naturally permanently magnetic.

Magnetite is a natually-occuring mineral found as several percent of granite or many volcanic rocks and about one-hundredth of sedimentary rocks such as sandstone. Magnetite, normally magnetic only when placed in an ambient magnetic field, that is, it is an induced magnet. However, magnetite occurs in outcrops among other minerals and rocks. If such occurences of magnetite are on a hilltop, prominently above nearby hills, lightning will strike that hilltop, millions of times over time. Lightning is electrical current, and as with any current, has an associated magnetic field, which permanently aligns the "magnetic domains", or put in English, magnetizes the mineral. In other words, the magnetite is then 'permanently magnetized' and can then attract other induced magnetic objects such a paper clips, iron objects, other pieces of magnetite and can even be made into a magnetic compass.

Next time, you are at the seashore or near a stream, dip a small magnet in the water, swish it around among the sand or dirt and then see the magnetite particles sticking to it.

sheldon@breiner.com

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14y ago

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