uncommon
magnetite
a magnet lifts it · the first compass stone
The tell
Bring a magnet. Magnetite is the part of the black sand a magnet lifts out: drag one through dry sand at the waterline and it comes up bearded with black grains. The rest of that black sand is mostly ilmenite and garnet, and the magnet leaves it lying there. A pebble of it is black, noticeably heavy, and the magnet sticks.
That one test settles the whole argument. Hematite streaks rust-red and mostly ignores the magnet; plain basalt is lighter in the hand and does nothing at all.
What it gets mistaken for
- hematite
- basalt
- black shale
- plain dark sand
The facts
- also calleda magnet lifts it · the first compass was this
- ageage varies
- where it turns upblack sand · Lake Michigan & Superior
- the field marka magnet sticks · nothing else black does
- on the chartuncommon · 500 stickers ever
Put it on the shelf
Every stone on this chart is drawn and kiss-cut at three inches. The rarer the stone, the fewer exist: only 500 magnetite will ever be printed, then the run is retired.
10% of every order goes to northern Michigan animal shelters.