Mining in the local area was originally for magnetite ore and not in the Zn-rich orebodies. Description Magnetite occurs for the most part as massive material, resembling franklinite in most respects, but not easily distinguished. Intergrowths of these two isostructural minerals give rise to anomalous magnetic effects.
Masses vary from all franklinite to all magnetite.
It is black and opaque, with varying degrees of metallic to submetallic luster. No physical or optical data exist. Local material has not been much studied, except as an indirect and often accidental result of studies of franklinite. The Furnace Magnetite Bed lies between the west limb of the orebody and the underlying Cork Hill Gneiss. Magnetite also occurs as lamellar aggregates in calcite and in breccias from the Buckwheat Open Cut.