Magnetism loses under pressure

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Magnetite is an abundant magnetic mineral. It was used by early navigators to find the magnetic North Pole and birds use if for their navigation.There is intense scientific interest in its properties. Credit: Image courtesy 2000 John H. Betts
Magnetite is an abundant magnetic mineral. It was used by early navigators to find the magnetic North Pole and birds use if for their navigation.There is intense scientific interest in its properties. Credit: Image courtesy © 2000 John H. Betts

Scientists have discovered that the magnetic strength of magnetite—the most abundant magnetic mineral on Earth—declines drastically when put under pressure. Researchers from the Carnegie Institution’s Geophysical Laboratory, together with colleagues at the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Laboratory, have found that when magnetite is subjected to pressures between 120,000 and 160,000 times atmospheric pressure its magnetic strength declines by half. They discovered that the change is due to what is called electron spin pairing.


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