Superstition in connection with lodestone?

Jim McDougall · 7th May 2006, 11:08 PM

Hi Jens,
You know I get really lost in all this scientific stuff, but I tried to recall some of the fascinating discussion from earlier threads of yours on magnetic iron.
In looking at the Burton reference, I notice that the term he actually used was magnetic ore rather than lodestone. Apparantly the ore is known as magnetite, and although it has the ability to become magnetized (lodestone), it is not all magnetic. I found that magnetite is one of several oxidized minerals that provide iron ore, and there are some very complex metallurgical properties involved in thier variation, however being magnetized is not necessarily one of them. As iron however, the iron may become magnetic or attracted to a magnet.

Burton indicates that malleable iron, made from magnetic ore, is placed with chopped wood in a crucible, then covered with green leaves of certain plants. The importance of these plants talismanically or magically is discussed in Figiel (p.15) and of course in Elgood, and although these sacred additives are intended to increase the potency or quality of the product supernaturally, thier presence as an additional source of carbon was probably of most importance.

Pant (p.92) notes that certain ores of local 'magnetic' schist mixed with quantities of haemetites (another category of iron ore) along with mixed ferruginous sands were mixed together to produce the raw material to be smelted into the ingots.

I think the term 'magnetic' simply referred to the iron ore in general and it seems strange that the term was so loosely used. Lodestone , or magnetized iron seems to occur relatively rarely in natural ore deposits, and can only become such if the magnetite carries certain crystalline or mineral components from what I understand. Apparantly the most typical manner of creation is from high intesity electrical charge, i.e. lightning.
With the lightning storms here in Texas, it seems everything metallic should be magnetized, and all of us should have hair like Einstein!!

All the best,
Jim

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7th May 2006, 11:08 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,299	Hi Jens, You know I get really lost in all this scientific stuff, but I tried to recall some of the fascinating discussion from earlier threads of yours on magnetic iron. In looking at the Burton reference, I notice that the term he actually used was magnetic ore rather than lodestone. Apparantly the ore is known as magnetite, and although it has the ability to become magnetized (lodestone), it is not all magnetic. I found that magnetite is one of several oxidized minerals that provide iron ore, and there are some very complex metallurgical properties involved in thier variation, however being magnetized is not necessarily one of them. As iron however, the iron may become magnetic or attracted to a magnet. Burton indicates that malleable iron, made from magnetic ore, is placed with chopped wood in a crucible, then covered with green leaves of certain plants. The importance of these plants talismanically or magically is discussed in Figiel (p.15) and of course in Elgood, and although these sacred additives are intended to increase the potency or quality of the product supernaturally, thier presence as an additional source of carbon was probably of most importance. Pant (p.92) notes that certain ores of local 'magnetic' schist mixed with quantities of haemetites (another category of iron ore) along with mixed ferruginous sands were mixed together to produce the raw material to be smelted into the ingots. I think the term 'magnetic' simply referred to the iron ore in general and it seems strange that the term was so loosely used. Lodestone , or magnetized iron seems to occur relatively rarely in natural ore deposits, and can only become such if the magnetite carries certain crystalline or mineral components from what I understand. Apparantly the most typical manner of creation is from high intesity electrical charge, i.e. lightning. With the lightning storms here in Texas, it seems everything metallic should be magnetized, and all of us should have hair like Einstein!! All the best, Jim