How Is Magnetic Hematite Made?
Hematite is a weakly magnetic stone. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks both made good use of this stone, and it is common today for it to be used in jewelry. Many people believe that hematite promotes physical or emotional healing; some people make and sell jewelry made out of hematite for this purpose.
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What is Hematite?
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Hematite is a stone made from iron ore. Its name comes from the Greek word for red, as hematite stones are often reddish brown. Hematite can also be gray or steel-colored; however, there is always a rust-colored streak in every hematite stone.
Hematite and Magnetism
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Hematite's magnetic properties were the subject of debate by scientists in the 1950s. The stone appears to be very weakly magnetic; it displays some magnetic capabilities at high temperatures. Large magnets can be used to attract sufficient quantities of hematite, removing them from waste tailings of iron mines.
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History of Hematite
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Hematite in powdered form has been used as a red chalk for thousands of years. The earliest known use of hematite dates back 164,000 years; more famously, hematite powder was used in Egyptian tombs to stop intruders from entering. Hematite powder can be irritating to eyes and skin and can be lethal if inhaled; archaeologists found a sarcophagus covered with it in 2001. If tomb robbers disturbed the sarcophagus, the hematite would fly up into the air and get in the robbers' eyes and lungs.
Hematite and Healing
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Many people believe that hematite has healing powers. Pagans and people interested in energy healing believe that the weak magnetism in hematite reacts to energy in the human body to keep it in balance. People often wear hematite bracelets or necklaces to promote healing in themselves.
Making Hematite Jewelry
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Hematite jewelry is fairly easy to make. Most jewelry makers thread together hematite beads of different sizes to create an interesting pattern and maximize healing energy. All you need to make a hematite necklace are some wire, pliers and different sizes hematite beads. If you do not want to make hematite jewelry yourself, you can easily find it for sale in flea markets or at fairs featuring new age or alternative medicine materials.
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References
- Photo Credit hematite beads image by Raxxillion from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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kimharvest
Sep 18, 2010
This article has no real informative information and does not satisfy the questions raised by its own titles. It is interesting about the uses the Egyptians had for hematite but is that all the history you found? Good quality effective magnetic jewelry is not as easy to make as you state and there should be a lot of knowledge, practice and experience behind selling any magnetic jewelry pieces. Kim DiJulio @ Vital Wonders Magnetic
