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Elemental iron is virtually absent on the Earth's surface except as iron-nickel alloys from meteorites and very rare forms of deep mantle xenoliths.Although iron is the fourth most abundant element in Earth's crust, composing about 5% by weight, [4] the vast majority is bound in silicate or, more rarely, carbonate minerals, and smelting pure iron from these minerals would require a prohibitive ...
Although channel iron deposits are typically low-grade at 53% to 57% Fe in-situ, they are composed of goethite-limonite which are hydrated iron oxide species. Ore typically contains around 8% to 12% water, and <5% SiO 2, and <3% Al 2 O 3. The hydrous iron oxides can be calcined, and the CID ore on a volatile-free basis is around 63% Fe or more.
Hematite and magnetite are the most common types of Iron ore. Roughly 98% of iron ore on the global market is used in iron and steel production. [8] The other 2% of iron ore is used to make powdered iron for certain types of steel, auto parts, and catalysts; radioactive iron for medicine; and iron blue in paints, inks, cosmetics, and plastics. [5]
Some examples of minerals in iron-rich rocks containing oxides are limonite, hematite, and magnetite. An example of a mineral in iron-rich rock containing carbonates is siderite and an example of minerals in an iron-rich rock containing silicate is chamosite. [2] They are often interbedded with limestones, shales, and fine-grained sandstones.
Ocean iron fertilization is an example of a geoengineering technique that involves intentional introduction of iron-rich deposits into oceans, and is aimed to enhance biological productivity of organisms in ocean waters in order to increase carbon dioxide (CO 2) uptake from the atmosphere, possibly resulting in mitigating its global warming effects.
In the iron and steel industry, direct reduction is a set of processes for obtaining iron from iron ore, by reducing iron oxides without melting the metal. The resulting product is pre-reduced iron ore. Historically, direct reduction was used to obtain a mix of iron and slag called a bloom in a bloomery.
Ironstone (sandstone with iron oxides) from the Mississippian Breathitt Formation, Mile Marker 166, I-64, Kentucky. Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical replacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron ore compound from which iron (Fe) can be smelted commercially.
As of 2023, India is the world's 4th largest exporter of iron ore. [67] The country also accounts for 9.2% of the world's iron ore production as of 2023. [67] In 2021, the value of India's iron ore exports were $4.2 billion. [68] As of 2019, India has the world's 7th largest iron ore reserves, with reserves of 5.5 billion tonnes. [69]