Iron ore is a mineral substance which, when heated in the presence of a reductant, will yield metallic iron (Fe).   It almost always consists of iron oxides, the primary forms of which are magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and hematite (Fe₂O₃).

Iron ore is the source of primary iron for the world's iron and steel industries. It is therefore essential for the production of steel, which in turn is essential to maintain a strong industrial base.  Almost all (98%) iron ore is used in steelmaking.  Iron ore is mined in about 50 countries.   The seven largest of these producing countries account for about three-quarters of total world production.   Australia and Brazil together dominate the world's iron ore exports, each having about one-third of total exports.

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Annual Publications

Mineral Commodity Summaries

• Iron Ore
    PDF Format:
       | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |2013 |2014 |2015 |2016 |2017 |2018 | 2019 |
• Appendixes

Minerals Yearbook

• Iron Ore
    PDF Format:
       | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
    XLS Format:
       | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |2016 tables-only release |
• Archive
       | 1932-1993 |

Monthly Publications

Mineral Industry Surveys

• Iron Ore
    PDF Format:
      2018: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
      2017:  | Nov | Dec |
    XLSX Format:
      2018: | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
      2017: | Nov | Dec |
• U.S Production of Selected Mineral Commodities (Quarterly Mineral Industry Surveys)

Special Publications

• Challenges Facing the North American Iron Ore Industry 
  Open-File Report 2006-1061
• Factors that Influence the Price of Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Rare Earth Elements, and Zn
  Open-File Report 2008-1356
• Global Iron Ore Production Data; Clarification of Reporting from the USGS 
  Mining engineering February, 2017 (reprinted with permission)
• Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States 
  Data Series 140
  • Iron Ore
• Metal Prices in the United States through 2010
  Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5188
• Review of selected global mineral industries in 2011 and an outlook to 2017 
  Open-File Report 2013-1091
• Statistical Compendium
  • Iron Ore

Links

• Iron Mining Association

Related Mineral Commodities:

• USGS Ferroalloys Statistics and Information
• USGS Iron and Steel Statistics and Information
• USGS Iron and Steel Scrap Statistics and Information
• USGS Iron and Steel Slag Statistics and Information