Iron Ore Mining Process And Methods

Iron occurs mainly in iron-oxide ores. Some ores are a mixture of minerals rich in iron. Other iron ores are less rich and have a large number of impurities. The most important iron oreforming minerals are:

• Magnetite - Magnetite (Fe3O4) forms magnetic black iron ore. There are large deposits of magnetite in Russia and Sweden.

• Hematite - Hematite (Fe2O3) is a red iron ore. Hematite occurs in almost all forms, from solid rock to loose earth. It is the most plentiful iron ore and occurs in large quantities throughout the world.

• Goethite - Goethite (Fe2O3.H2O), a brown ore, contains iron.

• Limonite - Limonite (Fe2O3.H2O) is a yellow-brown iron ore. Limonite is a collective term for impure goethite and a mixture of hydrated iron oxides.