lodestone (redirected from loadstones)

lodestone: see magnetite.

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magnetite

 or lodestone or magnetic iron ore

Iron oxide mineral (Fe₃O₄), the chief member of one of the series of the spinel group. Minerals in this series form black to brownish, metallic, moderately hard octahedrons and masses in igneous and metamorphic rocks and in granite pegmatites, stony meteorites, and high-temperature sulfide veins. Magnetite, as the name implies, is strongly attracted to a magnet. It is a common constituent of iron ores. Magnetite with an intrinsic magnetic field (a natural magnet) is known as lodestone.

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lodestone, loadstone

a. a rock that consists of pure or nearly pure magnetite and thus is naturally magnetic

b. a piece of such rock, which can be used as a magnet and which was formerly used as a primitive compass

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lodestone [′lōd‚stōn]

(mineralogy)

The naturally occurring magnetic iron oxide, or magnetite, possessing polarity, and attracting iron objects to itself. Also known as Hercules stone; leading stone; loadstone.