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#           Iron Ore Statistics and Information      

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Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of the mineral commodity *iron ore*

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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### **Monthly Publications**

Mineral Industry Surveys
                            - Iron Ore    PDF Format:           2024: |  Jan  |  Feb  |  Mar  |  Apr  |  **May**  |      2023: |  May  |  Jun  |  Jul  |  Aug  |  Sep  |  Oct  |  Nov  |  Dec  |    XLSX Format:      2024: |  Jan  |  Feb  |  Mar  |  Apr  |  **May**  |      2023: |  May  |  Jun  |  Jul  |  Aug  |  Sep  |  Oct  |  Nov  |  Dec  |
                            - U.S Production of Selected Mineral Commodities (Quarterly Mineral Industry Surveys)

### **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  |  2020  |  2021  |  2022  |  2023  |  **2024**  |
                            - 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  |  2016  |  2017  |  2018  |  **2019** |    XLS Format:       |  2002  |  2003  |  2004  |  2005  |  2006  |  2007  |  2008  |  2009  |  2010  |  2011  |  2012  |  2013  |  2014  |  2015  |  2016  |  2017  |  2018  |  **2019**  |  2020 tables-only release   |  **2021 tables-only release**   |  **2021 tables-only release**   |
                            - Archive       |  1932-1993  |

### **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
                            -  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 
                            - USGS revision of global iron ore production data—Clarification of the reporting of iron ore production in China and application of a uniform comparison methodology (2000-2015)

### **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

### Contacts

#### Candice Tuck

##### Mineral Commodity Specialist

National Minerals Information Center

ctuck@usgs.gov

703-648-4912