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Chemical Composition and Formation Process

Hematine is a man-made material consisting primarily of barium-strontium ferrite (BaFe₁₂O₁₉ and SrFe₁₂O₁₉). This synthetic compound is iron oxide mixed with barium or strontium carbonate and heated to high temperatures to induce the ferrite formation. Unlike natural hematite, it exhibits strong magnetic properties.

Iridescent hematine is a variant that exhibits a rainbow-like iridescence. This effect appears by applying a thin, transparent coating or through surface treatments that create interference effects with light.

Names and Alternative Names

The name derives from “hematite,” due to its similar appearance. However, it is not a natural mineral but an artificial material. Alternative names include “magnetic hematine”, “hemalite” and “hemalyke,” which distinguish it from natural hematite. The term “Iridescent” refers to the synthetic material’s rainbow-like appearance. It is also known as “Rainbow Hematine” or “Iridescent Hemalyke.”

Mythology and Legends

Tradition attributes the first discussion of magnets to Thales (c. 624–546 BCE) of Miletus, an ancient Greek scholar. Miletus was a flourishing port city in Ionia on the Aegean Sea. Thales likely encountered magnetism through interactions with naturally occurring magnetic minerals like lodestone. These minerals were used for navigation long before people understood their nature or origin. [info ↱]

Electric Cosmology

When we observe space, astrophysical objects are embedded in magnetic fields. These fields exist near stars and planets and in the deep space between galaxies and galactic clusters and these fields can stretch millions of light-years across the universe.
Despite decades of research, the origin of these cosmic magnetic fields remains one of the most profound mysteries in cosmology.
Recent work by researchers at MIT, Princeton University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder sheds light on the processes that generate a magnetic field from a completely unmagnetized state. [info ↱]

Mining, Production and Use

As a synthetic material, hematine is produced in laboratories and industrial settings rather than being mined. The production process involves combining iron oxide with barium or strontium compounds and heating the mixture to form ferrite crystals. Hematine is widely used in jewelry making, particularly for beads and magnetic bracelets. Its resemblance to natural hematite and its magnetic properties makes it popular in modern jewelry and metaphysical practices.

Iridescent hematine is produced using the same methods as standard hematine, with additional steps to apply the iridescent coating. This involves either physical vapor deposition or chemical treatments to create the interference effect. Iridescent hematine is used in jewelry for its eye-catching appearance and is particularly popular in bead form for bracelets and necklaces.