Iron ore

Ore rich in iron or the element Fe / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:

Can you list the top facts and stats about Iron ore?

Summarize this article for a 10 years old

SHOW ALL QUESTIONS

Iron ores[1] 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).

HematitaEZ.jpg
Hematite: the main iron ore in Brazilian mines.
LightningVolt_Iron_Ore_Pellets.jpg
Stockpiles of iron ore pellets like this one are used in steel production.
Iron_Ore_Docks%2C_Toledo%2C_Ohio_-_DPLA_-_165fedc210b0851a390b4d490563cb43_%28page_1%29_%28cropped%29.jpg
Iron ore being unloaded at docks in Toledo, Ohio.

Ores containing very high quantities of hematite or magnetite (greater than about 60% iron) are known as "natural ore" or "direct shipping ore", meaning they 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 main raw materials to make steel—98% of the mined iron ore is used to make steel.[2] 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".[3]