Total body level in the body of a healthy male and female adult is about 3.5 g and 2.45 g, respectively. Some 66%-70% of this amount is found in hemoglobin, 4% in myoglobin, and 30% in the storage form (e.g., hemosiderin and ferritin). A small portion of iron is found in the composition of some body compounds (e.g., flavoprotein, catalase).
Iron is taken by food where it is found in a divalent (ferro-) or trivalent (ferri-) form. In the intestinal lumen, it is reduced to a divalent form, as it can cross the cellular membrane in this form. In the intestinal epithelial cells, iron is transformed back to the ferri-form (Fe+++), and is transferred to plasma where it binds to the protein named transferrin (siderophylline). The transferrin bound iron (7-28 µmol/L) is normally transferred to the organs, where it is accepted by the protein named apoferritin, and iron is then stored in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin. A major part of iron stores are found in the liver, and some in the bone marrow and spleen.
Basic
Iron (Fe) is a shiny, bright white metal. It is the fourth most plentiful element in the earth's crust (4.6%), but is so widely disseminated that it can be obtained only from ores in which iron has been specially concentrated. Pure iron is soft. However, the material is significantly hardened and strengthened by impurities from the smelting process, such as carbon. A certain proportion of carbon (between 0.2% and 1.5%) produces steel, which is much harder than pure iron.
Iron is the most freqently encountered metal in daily life, as steel is used for machines, tools, and buildings etc. Moreover, iron is considered a trace element, which is vital for human health.
Prices
Iron ore prices have long been volatile. Following an almost 70% increase in the worldwide price for iron ore fines (pieces smaller than 10 mm) into the European market and an almost 80% increase for fines from Australia into the Asian market in 2008; the global economic downturn resulted in a significant world price decrease in 2009. The price of fines into the European market decreased by almost 30% and the price of fines into the Asian market from Australia decreased by about one-third. Prices for lump ore (pieces between 10 and 40 mm), which had almost doubled in 2008, dropped back to where they had been in 2007.
Future Prospects
In order to monitor the relative risk to the supply of the chemical elements or element groups which we need to maintain our economy and lifestyle, the British Geological Survey publishes an annual risk list based on a supply risk index. The position of an element on this list is determined by a number of factors which might impact on supply. These include the abundance of elements in the Earth's crust, the location of current production and reserves, and the political stability of those locations.
The supply risk index runs from 1 (very low risk) to 10 (very high risk). In 2011, iron had the value of 3,5. This means that the supply risk was quite low. The world resources of iron are estimated to exceed 230 billion tons contained within more than 800 billion tons of crude ore.
MineralsUK
Global Compact
Four of the five biggest iron producing companies (Vale, Rio Tinto PLC, BHP Billiton Group, and Anglo American PLC) participate in the Global Compact. Consequently, these companies are acknowledged for their commitment to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
UN Global Compact
Vale Foundation
Vale, the Brazilian iron producing company, has started the Vale Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to contribute to the integrated development – i.e. economic, environmental and social – of the territories in which Vale is active, by organizing and potentiating social investments, empowering the communities’ human capital and respecting local cultural identities.
Vale Foundation
Iron is taken by food where it is found in a divalent (ferro-) or trivalent (ferri-) form. In the intestinal lumen, it is reduced to a divalent form, as it can cross the cellular membrane in this form. In the intestinal epithelial cells, iron is transformed back to the ferri-form (Fe+++), and is transferred to plasma where it binds to the protein named transferrin (siderophylline). The transferrin bound iron (7-28 µmol/L) is normally transferred to the organs, where it is accepted by the protein named apoferritin, and iron is then stored in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin. A major part of iron stores are found in the liver, and some in the bone marrow and spleen.
Basic
Iron (Fe) is a shiny, bright white metal. It is the fourth most plentiful element in the earth's crust (4.6%), but is so widely disseminated that it can be obtained only from ores in which iron has been specially concentrated. Pure iron is soft. However, the material is significantly hardened and strengthened by impurities from the smelting process, such as carbon. A certain proportion of carbon (between 0.2% and 1.5%) produces steel, which is much harder than pure iron.
Iron is the most freqently encountered metal in daily life, as steel is used for machines, tools, and buildings etc. Moreover, iron is considered a trace element, which is vital for human health.
Prices
Iron ore prices have long been volatile. Following an almost 70% increase in the worldwide price for iron ore fines (pieces smaller than 10 mm) into the European market and an almost 80% increase for fines from Australia into the Asian market in 2008; the global economic downturn resulted in a significant world price decrease in 2009. The price of fines into the European market decreased by almost 30% and the price of fines into the Asian market from Australia decreased by about one-third. Prices for lump ore (pieces between 10 and 40 mm), which had almost doubled in 2008, dropped back to where they had been in 2007.
Future Prospects
In order to monitor the relative risk to the supply of the chemical elements or element groups which we need to maintain our economy and lifestyle, the British Geological Survey publishes an annual risk list based on a supply risk index. The position of an element on this list is determined by a number of factors which might impact on supply. These include the abundance of elements in the Earth's crust, the location of current production and reserves, and the political stability of those locations.
The supply risk index runs from 1 (very low risk) to 10 (very high risk). In 2011, iron had the value of 3,5. This means that the supply risk was quite low. The world resources of iron are estimated to exceed 230 billion tons contained within more than 800 billion tons of crude ore.
MineralsUK
Global Compact
Four of the five biggest iron producing companies (Vale, Rio Tinto PLC, BHP Billiton Group, and Anglo American PLC) participate in the Global Compact. Consequently, these companies are acknowledged for their commitment to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
UN Global Compact
Vale Foundation
Vale, the Brazilian iron producing company, has started the Vale Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to contribute to the integrated development – i.e. economic, environmental and social – of the territories in which Vale is active, by organizing and potentiating social investments, empowering the communities’ human capital and respecting local cultural identities.
Vale Foundation
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