Editing Iron ore (section)

==Abundance by country==
===Available world iron ore resources===
Iron is the most abundant element on earth but not in the crust.<ref name=pnas71_12_6973>{{cite journal |last1=Morgan |first1=J. W. |last2=Anders |first2=E. |title=Chemical composition of Earth, Venus, and Mercury |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |year=1980 |volume=77 |issue=12 |pages=6973–77 |doi=10.1073/pnas.77.12.6973 |pmid=16592930 |pmc=350422 |bibcode=1980PNAS...77.6973M|doi-access=free }}</ref> The extent of the accessible iron ore reserves is not known, though [[Lester R. Brown|Lester Brown]] of the [[Worldwatch Institute]] suggested in 2006 that iron ore could run out within 64 years (that is, by 2070), based on 2% growth in demand per year.<ref name="Brown">{{Cite book |last=Brown |first=Lester |title=Plan B 2.0 |location=New York |publisher=W.W. Norton |date=2006 |page=109}}</ref>

===Australia===
[[Geoscience Australia]] calculates that the country's "[[economic demonstrated resources]]" of iron currently amount to 24 [[gigatonne]]s, or {{convert|24000000000|t|abbr=on}}.{{citation needed|date=February 2012}} Another estimate places Australia's reserves of iron ore at {{convert|52000000000|t|abbr=on}}, or 30% of the world's estimated {{convert|170000000000|t|abbr=on}}, of which Western Australia accounts for {{convert|28000000000|t|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/Investors/Iron-Ore-1482.aspx|title=Iron Ore|work=Government of Western Australia - Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref> The current production rate from the [[Pilbara]] region of [[Western Australia]] is approximately {{convert|844000000|t|abbr=on}} per year and rising.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/Documents/About-Us-Careers/Stats_Digest_2021-22.pdf |title=Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest 2021–22 |date=2022 |publisher=Government of Western Australia Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety}}</ref> [[Gavin Mudd]] ([[RMIT University]]) and Jonathon Law ([[CSIRO]]) expect it to be gone within 30–50 years and 56 years, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/07/14/2953402.htm|title=Iron Ore Country|work=ABC Science|last=Pincock|first=Stephen|date=July 14, 2010|access-date=2012-11-28}}</ref> These 2010 estimates require ongoing review to take into account shifting demand for lower-grade iron ore and improving mining and recovery techniques (allowing deeper mining below the groundwater table).

=== Brazil ===
[[Brazil]] is the second-largest producer of iron ore after Australia, accounting for 16% of the world's iron ore production. After a somewhat sluggish production volume 2010-2020, partly due to the [[Mariana dam disaster]] in 2015 and the [[Brumadinho dam disaster]] in 2019, which halted the production at the two involved mines, production has increased steadily since 2021, when Brazil produced {{convert|431000000|t|abbr=on}}. In 2022 it increased to {{convert|435000000|t|abbr=on}} and in 2023 to {{convert|440000000|t|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1026351/brazil-iron-ore-mine-production/#statisticContainer|title=Mine production of iron ore in Brazil from 2010 to 2023|work=[[Statista]]| date = 2024-04-19| access-date=2024-07-12}}</ref>

The Brazilian production is expected to rise by a [[CAGR]] of 2% between 2023 and 2027,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mining-technology.com/data-insights/iron-ore-in-brazil/?cf-view|title=Iron ore production in Brazil and major projects|work=Mining Technology| date = 2024-07-05| access-date=2024-07-12}}</ref> and industry analyst [[Fitch Ratings#Fitch Solutions|Fitch Solutions]] forecasted in 2021 that Brazil's annual production will reach {{convert|592000000|t|abbr=on}} by 2030.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/iron-ore-forecast.pdf|title=Global Iron Ore Mining Outlook|work=[[Fitch Solutions]]| date = 2021-08-26| access-date=2024-07-12}}</ref>

=== Canada ===
In 2017, Canadian iron ore mines produced {{convert|49000000|t|abbr=on}} of iron ore in concentrate pellets and 13.6&nbsp;million tons of crude steel. Of the {{convert|13600000|t|abbr=on}} of steel {{convert|7000000|t|abbr=on}} was exported, and {{convert|43100000|t|abbr=on}} of iron ore was exported at a value of $4.6&nbsp;billion. Of the iron ore exported, 38.5% of the volume was iron ore pellets with a value of $2.3&nbsp;billion, and 61.5% was iron ore concentrates with a value of $2.3&nbsp;billion.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining-materials/facts/iron-ore/20517|title=Iron ore facts|last=Canada|first=Natural Resources|date=2018-01-23|website=www.nrcan.gc.ca|access-date=2019-02-16}}</ref>  46% of  Canada's iron ore comes from the [[Iron Ore Company of Canada]] mine, in [[Labrador City]], [[Newfoundland]], with secondary sources including the [[Mary River Mine]] in [[Nunavut]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mccarthy.ca/en/insights/blogs/mining-prospects/mining-future-2030-plan-growth-newfoundland-and-labrador-mining-industry|title = Mining the Future 2030: A Plan for Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Mining Industry &#124; McCarthy Tétrault| date=19 November 2018 }}</ref>

=== India ===
According to the U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 Report on iron ore,<ref name=":3" /> India is estimated to produce {{convert|59000000|t|abbr=on}} of iron ore in 2020, placing it as the seventh-largest global center of iron ore production, behind Australia, Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa, and Ukraine.

India's iron ore production in 2023 was 285,000,000 metric tonnes and was the fourth largest producer in the world.<ref>{{Citation |title=List of countries by iron ore production |date=2023-10-31 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_countries_by_iron_ore_production&oldid=1182773488 |access-date=2024-02-13 |language=en}}</ref>

===Ukraine===
According to the U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 report on iron ore,<ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=USGS Report on Iron Ore, 2021|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2021/mcs2021-iron-ore.pdf}}</ref> Ukraine is estimated to have produced {{convert|62000000|t|abbr=on}} of iron ore in 2020, placing it as the seventh largest global center of iron ore production, behind Australia, Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa. Producers of iron ore in Ukraine include [[Ferrexpo]], [[Metinvest]], and [[ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih]].

=== United States ===
In 2014, mines in the [[United States]] produced {{convert|57500000|t|abbr=on}} of iron ore with an estimated value of $5.1&nbsp;billion.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/iron_ore/|title=USGS Minerals Information: Iron Ore|website=minerals.usgs.gov|access-date=2019-02-16}}</ref> [[Iron mining in the United States]] is estimated to have accounted for 2% of the world's iron ore output. In the United States there are twelve iron ore mines, with nine being [[Open-pit mining|open pit mines]] and three being reclamation operations. There were also ten pelletizing plants, nine concentration plants, two direct-reduced iron (DRI) plants, and one iron nugget plant that were operating in 2014.<ref name=":1" /> In the United States the majority of iron ore mining is in the [[Iron Range|iron ranges]] around [[Lake Superior]]. These iron ranges occur in [[Minnesota]] and Michigan, which combined accounted for 93% of the usable iron ore produced in the United States in 2014. Seven of the nine operational open pit mines in the United States are located in Minnesota as well as two of the three tailings reclamation operations. The other two active open pit mines were located in [[Michigan]].  In 2016, one of the two mines shut down.<ref name=":1" /> There have also been iron ore mines in [[Utah]] and [[Alabama]]; however, the last iron ore mine in Utah shut down in 2014<ref name=":1" /> and the last iron ore mine in Alabama shut down in 1975.<ref>Lewis S. Dean, Minerals in the economy of Alabama 2007Archived 2015-09-24 at the [[Wayback Machine]], Alabama Geological Survey, 2008</ref>