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Iron may be thought of as the basic material of steel,
Iron ores are mineral or rock deposits in which iron was concentrated by natural forces during the formation of the earth's crust. Steel manufacturers crush and process these ores to produce high-grade iron concentrates. The concentrates are turned into metallic iron by heating them with other raw materials in huge furnaces. Most metallic iron is used in manufacturing steel, but some is made into iron products. Steelmakers convert metallic iron into liquid steel by refining it in furnaces with recycled iron and steel scrap. The liquid steel is then formed into sheets, beams, rods, wire, tubing, and other shapes used in making various products. Most modern steel mills perform all the steps in steelmaking, from smelting iron ore to producing steel in useful shapes and forms.
All types of iron can be classified as (1) pig iron, (2) cast iron, or (3) wrought iron.