Iron Ore
Iron ore is a type of mineral and rock from which metallic iron is extracted economically. This ore is normally rich in iron oxides and vary in colour from dark grey, bright yellow and deep purple to rusty red. The iron itself is usually found in the form of magnetite (Fe3O4), hematite (Fe2O3), goethite, limonite or siderite.
Iron ore belongs to the Precambrian era. Approximately 95% of all rocks of this age are composed of iron oxide minerals, making iron ore the most abundant and widely distributed of all sedimentary minerals.
Iron ore was first mined more than three thousand years ago, primarily by the Hittites in Anatolia (present day Turkey). They worked mainly on the hills’ sides, in shallow cuttings and exposed the ore body.
This steel-producing mineral has five main categories according to chemical composition and the size of the ore fragments:
• Hematite – containing 70% iron content
• Magnetite – with 72% iron composition
• Limonite – containing around 60% iron
• Siderite – containing 48% iron
• Goethite – with up to 70% iron
The worlds largest producers of iron ore are China, Australia, Brazil and India with up to four billion metric tons, according to the World Steel Association. These figures are all the more impressive when compared to the output of the United States which was only 40 million metric tons in 2014.
Iron ore can be easily extracted and relatively inexpensively. Refining the ore into usable steel requires heat, energy and a variety of chemical reactions and processes that are managed by metallurgists.
Iron has become an important component of industries such as automobiles, construction, and heavy machinery. It is also used in manufacturing of goods such as steel, tools and engineering components. Steel accounts for the majority of global iron ore consumption and is used in bridge and tower construction, pipelines, ship building and automobile manufacturing.
Iron ore is also used to make steel and much of the ore is mined directly from the ground. Generally, iron ore is smelted in a blast furnace and then purified.
Steelmaking has been revolutionized by the introduction of smelting-reduction technology. This involves heating iron ore in a blast furnace with recycled iron and steel scrap which forms liquid slag and molten iron. The molten iron is then further refined in other forms of steelmaking and is often combined with other elements like chromium or nickel to create a desired alloy.
Until recently, iron ore was only held for steelmaking and other industrial uses. But technological advances in the last two decades have generated massive opportunities to use iron ore in other products. Steel has become a popular and essential material for consumer goods, kitchen appliances, and building materials.
Iron ore is an essential resource and is used to manufacture a variety of products. From steel used in infrastructure development to medical and consumer goods, it serves as an integral component of many products. Even though the demand for iron ore is decreasing due to the rise of new technologies, such as plastic and composite materials, it still plays an important role in industrial development.
