An apparatus and method in which three or more permanent or electromagnets are mounted in a support structure on rotatable axes in spaced relationship to each other such that the magnetic lines of force of the same magnetic polarity continuously repel each other to generate a field in "opolarity." The magnets are focused to a generally central spherical shell-like space and upon continuous synchronous rotation generate a magnetic vortex. Magnetic materials or materials that can be made susceptible to the effects of a magnetic field are placed in a material processing portion of a material containment vessel that is positioned in the magnetic vortex where upon continuous synchronous rotation of the magnets, the material is subjected to the quantum and wave mechanical effects of the magnetic vortex so as to be compacted, aggregated, separated, reaggregated, manipulated, tumbled, and levitated and in the process the physical, chemical, and magnetic properties and chemical composition of the material is changed. This process has special significance to the semiconductor, alloy, crystal growing, and pharmaceutical industries. When the rotation of the magnets is stopped the material is levitated as if in a gravity-free or micro-gravity environment.