Oxidationstal - som inte är heltal

"Next, let's consider the oxidation states of the atoms in Fe_3O_4, which
is the main component in magnetite, an iron ore that accounts for the
reddish color of many types of rocks and soils. We assign each oxygen atom
its usual oxidation state of -2. The three iron atoms must yield a total
of +8 to balance the total of -8 from the four oxygens.
 Thus each iron atom has an oxidation state of +8/3. A noninteger value
for an oxidation state may seem strange since charge is expressed in whole
numbers. However, although they are rare, noninteger oxidation states do
occur because of the rather arbitrary way that the electrons are divided
up by the rules in Table 4.3. In the compound Fe_3O_4, for example, the
rules assume that all of the iron atoms are equal when in fact this
compound can best be viewed as containing four O^(2-) ions, two Fe^(3+)
ions, and one Fe^(2+) per formula unit. (Note that the "average" charge on
iron works out to be 8/3+, which is equal to the oxidation state we
determined above.) Noninteger oxidation states should not intimidate you.
They serve the same purpose as integer oxidation states-for keeping track
of electrons."

Utan att gå in på det (åtminstone inte för långt) just nu - har inte kommit dit - är föreningen ovan en förening med resonans? Eller består den helt enkelt av Fe3+ och Fe2+ och man för enkelhetens skull skriver 8/3? (mao så det är alltså inte så att elektronerna går mellan Fe2+ <=>  Fe3+ )

Bara en nyfiken fråga när jag kom hit i boken.