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πŸŒ‹ Planet Earth πŸ’Ž Rocks and minerals

Iron and steel

From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.
From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.

πŸ“– In short

Iron is one of the most important metals in our lives, and from iron we make steel, which is much stronger. Steel is all around us: in cars, trains, bridges, buildings, knives, tools and even food cans.

🀩 Did you know?

  • In open-pit mines, iron ore can be up to 150 meters deep.
  • Coke is a solid that's about 90% carbon.
  • Steel can be recycled many times without losing its strength.
  • The Eiffel Tower was built of iron.

πŸ”Ž Find out more

🌟 From rock to iron

Iron is found in rocks called iron ore. Workers put them into a huge, very tall furnace with a special coal called coke, where they melt, and glowing liquid iron flows out.

πŸ” What is steel?

Steel is iron with most of the carbon taken out, sometimes with other metals added. It becomes very strong and flexible, and doesn't break easily.

πŸ’‘ Rust, iron's enemy

If iron is left in water or damp air, a reddish-brown dust called rust forms on it and slowly eats it away. So we paint it, or add metals like chromium to make stainless steel.

🎯 Iron in your body

There's iron in your blood! It helps red blood cells carry oxygen. We get it from meat, lentils, spinach and dates.

πŸ“Έ More pictures

From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.
From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.
From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.
From iron ore to steel: steelmakers produce many forms of iron and steel. For example, they turn pellets of concentrated ore into pig iron, which is refined into steel. Pouring molten iron into steelmaking furnaces is one of many dramatic sights in a steelworks; the liquid metal reaches about 1500 Β°C. Casting steel into solid shapes is the first step in making it into useful everyday products. Most modern continuous casters produce solid steel nonstop; the picture shows an example of modern casting.
Leading iron ore mining countries
Leading iron ore mining countries

🧩 Test yourself

1 What do we call the brown layer that forms on iron in damp?

2 Why does your body need iron?

3 In open-pit mines, iron ore can be up to ?? meters deep.

4 Which picture shows β€œIron and steel”?

πŸŒ‹ Discover more