Iron ore is a mineral rock from which metallic iron can be extracted, making it the primary raw material for producing iron and steel. Its processing is a foundational pillar of industrial society.
Iron ore is predominantly used in blast furnaces, where it is smelted with coke to produce pig iron. This pig iron is then further refined into steel. While scrap steel is a key recycled material, iron ore remains the essential "virgin" resource, underpinning the production of most of the world’s steel and supporting critical infrastructure.