Appearance
Iron is a lustrous, silvery and soft metal. It can be worked relatively easily.

Source
Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth's crust by mass. The core of the Earth is thought to be largely composed of Iron with about 10% occluded Hydrogen. The commonest Iron - containing ore is Haematite, but Iron is widely distributed in other minerals such as Magnetite and Taconite.

Commercially, Iron is produced by the reduction of Haematite of Magnetite with Carbon in a furnace, the Carbon being produced in situ by the burning of Coke.

Uses
Iron is the most useful of all metals. It is also the cheapest available metal. The major proportion is used to manufacture Steel, as Carbon Steel is an alloy of Iron with Carbon, with small amounts of other elements. Alloy Steels are Carbon Steels with other additives such as Nickel and Chromium.

Wrought Iron is Iron containing a very small amount of Carbon, and is tough, malleable and less fusible than pure Iron.

Pig Iron is an alloy containing about 3% Carbon with varying amounts of Sulphur, Silicon, Manganese and Phosphorus. It is hard, brittle, fairly fusible and is used to produce other alloys including Steel.

General Information
Pure Iron is very reactive chemically and rapidly rusts, especially in moist air or high temperatures. It dissolves in dilute acides.

Iron exists in four allotropic forms, one of which is magnetic. The relationship between these forms is not fully understood.

Iron is an essential and non-toxic element. It is part of the active site of Haemoglobin, and carries Oxygen in the bloodstream. Insufficient Iron in the blood is the cause of anaemia.