Why do opposing electron spins in ferrites create a net magnetic moment?

In ferrites, the emergence of a net magnetic moment despite opposing electron spins is a phenomenon known as ferrimagnetism.12

Unlike ferromagnetic materials, where all atomic dipoles align in the same direction, ferrites possess a crystal structure with multiple types of lattice sites (such as tetrahedral and octahedral sites). Within these structures, exchange forces cause electron spins to align in an antiparallel, or "spin-up" and "spin-down," configuration.21

A net magnetic moment is created because the magnitudes of the magnetization on these different sublattices are unequal. Because the opposing spins do not cancel each other out completely, the result is a net polarization parallel to the sublattice with the larger magnetic moment. This incomplete cancellation allows ferrites to exhibit spontaneous magnetization, which is highly valuable for applications in the electronics industry due to their low electric conductivity and reduced energy loss from eddy currents.12