Iron is the 4th most abundant element in earth crust having a weight percentage close to 5%. With an atomic number of 26, weight of 55.84, density of 7.874 g/cm3, boiling point of 2861 C, Yield strength of 50Mpa, modulus of elasticity of 200Gpa, it has established its importance long back and its application in the form of tools had commenced more than 5000 years ago. It is the most abundantly available and used metal. Moreover, the Earth’s core is composed primarily of iron (approx. 85.5%).
Iron is mainly extracted from the magnetite and hematite ore and can also be extracted from taconite, limonite, and siderite.