iron ore
Sign in to saveore rich in iron (element Fe)
AI overview
Iron ore is rock that contains high amounts of iron, a metal element used to make steel and other important materials. It matters because iron is one of the most widely used metals in the world, essential for everything from building construction to manufacturing machinery.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
Hematite, the main iron ore found in Brazilian mines Stockpiles of iron ore pellets like this one are used in steel production. An illustration of iron ore being unloaded at docks in Toledo, Ohio Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the form of magnetite (Fe 3O 4, 72.4% Fe), hematite (Fe 2O 3, 69.9% Fe), goethite (FeO(OH), 62.9% Fe), limonite (FeO(OH)·n(H2O), 55% Fe), or siderite (FeCO3, 48.2% Fe).
Ores containing very high quantities of hematite or magnetite (typically greater than about 60% iron) are known as natural ore or direct shipping ore, and can be fed directly into iron-making blast furnaces. Iron ore is the raw material used to make pig iron, which is one of the primary raw materials to make steel — 98% of the mined iron ore is used to make steel. In 2011 the Financial Times quoted Christopher LaFemina, mining analyst at Barclays Capital, saying that iron ore is "more integral to the global economy than any other commodity, except perhaps oil".