A curable, polymer-based composite material consists essentially of a first volume of a curable polymeric component such as a styrene butadiene copolymer and a second volume of iron ferrite particles. The composite material may be a sports article formed in a body with a shape that is rollable, generally spherical, with a specific gravity in the range of about 1.5-2.0, and with a size that accommodates use as a puck-like object for playing hockey. The body includes a central substantially uncured section and an outer substantially cured section. The composite material may also be used as a fishing weight or as a lead substitute, and is magnetizable. The composite material may also be used in a sound-dampening system that includes a first layer of less than one inch thick of the composite material, and a second layer of an expanded polymeric material bonded to the first layer. A method of forming said iron ferrite-filled rubber composite material is also disclosed.
