Question

Name two varieties of iron ore used in industry.

Answer 1

Hint: Iron ore is a mineral substance which generates metallic iron when heated in the presence of a reductant. It comprises iron oxides, the major forms of which are magnetite (Fe3O4) and hematite (Fe2O3).

Complete Step by Step Answer: The two varieties of iron ore of India having high iron content are:-

1. Magnetite
Magnetite is known for its property of being strongly attracted to magnets. It is the finest quality iron ore and has a high iron content of upto 70 per cent. It is the most significant industrial iron ore in terms of the abundance.
It is generally known as Lodestone and is the only mineral that is a natural magnet. It may form a yellow-brown rust coating if kept in a moist region. If a sample is washed, it should be dried to avoid rusting. Rust can easily be removed by rinsing the magnetite in a rust-removing solvent such as Iron Out.

However, they differ from Magnetite in that they are only weakly attracted to magnetic fields, and have a reddish-brown streak.

2.Hematite
Hematite is a heavy and considerably hard oxide mineral, ferric oxide, that constitutes the most vital iron ore because of its high iron content (70 percent) and its quantity. The mineral Hematite is known to form pseudomorphs over Magnetite. Such pseudomorphs are generally known as Martite, and their appearance is similar to ordinary Magnetite. Much hematite exists in a soft, fine-grained, earthy form called red ochre . Intermediate between these types are of portable variations. Red ochre is used as a paint ; a purified form, rouge, is used to polish plate glass.

Note: India ranks 4th in producing iron ore. About half of the iron-ore generated in the country is exported mainly to Japan, Korea,European countries and Gulf countries. Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Marmagao are the main iron exporting ports of India.