iron ore 1999 41 1 figure i ron o re by william s kirk domestic survey data and tables were prepared jason t collins statistical assistant the world production table was glenn j wallace international coordinator is essential to economy national security of united states as basic raw material from which steel are made its supply critical any industrial country scrap used a supplement in steelmaking but limited major feed because high quality industry accounted for more than 98 consumption domestically fell 8 shipments decreased 4 internationally 6 mineral substance when heated presence reductant will yield metallic it almost always consists oxides primary forms magnetite fe 3 hematite 2 taconite principal mined has low 20 30 content found hard fine grained banded
