Does magnetite lack a centre of symmetry?

Doubts concerning the conventionally assumed centrosymmetry of the cubic crystal structure of spinel ferrites, including magnetite, have existed for many years, chiefly because dielectric constants as high as 103-104 have been observed at low frequencies. The authors show that evidence neglected in a published X-ray diffraction study of magnetite favors a non-centrosymmetrical structure. They also report new measurements of X-ray diffraction intensity which reveal that, contrary to the behaviour expected of a centrosymmetrical structure. Friedel's law is violated by magnetite when anomalous scattering is present.