Abstract: A magnetic powder for a magnetic recording medium includes magnetic particles in which Ba in hexagonal barium ferrite is partially substituted with Sr, wherein a Dx volume represented by Dx volume (nm3) = Dxc × ? × (Dxa/2)2 is 2,200 nm3 or less, and an Sr/(Ba+Sr) molar ratio is 0.01 to 0.15. One that satisfies Ku ? 0.1 × [Sr/(Ba+Sr) molar ratio] + 0.13 is more preferred. For the formulas, Dxc is a crystallite diameter (nm) in a c-axis direction of a hexagonal ferrite crystal lattice, Dxa is a crystallite diameter (nm) in an a-axis direction of the same crystal lattice, ? is a circular constant, and Ku is a magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant (MJ/m3). By providing the hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder formed of fine particles, an effect of improving the perpendicular squareness ratio SQ of a magnetic recording medium is large.

Abstract: [Problem] A hexagonal barium ferrite magnetic powder formed of fine particles, wherein the anisotropic magnetic field distribution of a magnetic recording medium can be made to fall within a range effective in both improving the recording density and improving the SNR is provided. [Solution] A magnetic powder for a magnetic recording medium including magnetic particles in which Ba in hexagonal barium ferrite is partially substituted with Sr, wherein a Dx volume represented by the following formula (1) is 2,200 nm3 or less, an Sr/(Ba+Sr) molar ratio is 0.01 to 0.30, and an anisotropic magnetic field distribution is 1.00 or less. Dx volume (nm3)=Dxc×?×(Dxa/2)2??(1) Here, Dxc is a crystallite diameter (nm) in a c-axis direction of a hexagonal ferrite crystal lattice, Dxa is a crystallite diameter (nm) in an a-axis direction of the same crystal lattice, and n is a circular constant.

Abstract: A hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder is significantly more useful for achieving simultaneously both the enhancement of the recording density and the enhancement of the SNR of a magnetic recording medium. The hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder contains Bi at a Bi/Fe molar ratio in a range of 0.035 or less, has a saturation magnetization ?s of 42.0 Am2/kg or more and a Dx volume calculated based on the crystallite diameters of 1,800 nm3 or less. A method for producing hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder includes a step of performing a treatment of immersing hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder containing Bi in a solution having dissolved therein a compound X that forms a complex with Bi, so as to elute a part of Bi existing in the hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder into the solution.