Acicular magnetic iron oxide particles

Acicular magnetic iron particles having an average major axial diameter of 0.05 to 1.0 .mu.m, an aspect ratio (major axial diameter/minor axial diameter) of 3 to 15, a BET specific surface area of 10 to 80 m.sup.2 /g, and an erasing characteristic of not less than 46.5 dB, which particles contain Co or Co and Fe(II);

• Sr, Ba, or both Sr and Ba;
• and at least one of Si, Al, Zn or Mg, said particles produced by the process of
• (a) mixing an aqueous dispersion of acicular magnetic iron oxide particles with an aqueous solution of a Co salt and an alkaline aqueous solution, or an aqueous solution of a Co salt, an aqueous solution of an Fe(II) salt and an alkaline aqueous solution to produce an alkaline suspension solution;
• (b) heat-treating the alkaline suspension solution thus obtained at a temperature of 50.degree. to 100.degree. C.
• wherein a Sr salt, a Ba salt or both a Sr salt and a Ba salt are added to said alkaline suspension solution before heat-treatment, and wherein one or more of a Si compound, an Al compound, a Zn compound or a Mg compound is added to said alkaline suspension solution before heat-treatment or during heat-treatment;
• provided the amount of aqueous solution of a Co salt added is 0.1 to 15 wt % calculated as Co based on said acicular magnetic iron oxide particles, the amount of aqueous solution of an Fe(II) salt added is 0.1 to 15 wt % calculated as Fe(II) based on said acicular magnetic iron oxide particles, the OH-group content in said alkaline suspension solution after addition of said alkaline aqueous solution is 0.05 to 3.0 mol/l, the amount of Sr salt, Ba salt or both Sr salt and Ba salt added is 0.05 to 10 wt % calculated as Ba or Sr or both Ba and Sr based on said acicular magnetic iron oxide particles, and the Si compound, Al compound, Zn compound or Mg compound added is 0.1 to 5 wt % calculated as Si, Al, Zn or Mg based on said acicular magnetic iron oxide particles.