Once USA was the highest iron ore-producing country of the world. As indicated in Table 8.1, the percentage of world production of iron ore was 18.1 in 1960 and 9.8 in 1975. But now it produces less than 4 per cent of the world’s production and ranks 7th. The four main iron ore-producing regions of USA are Lake Superior region, north-eastern region, south-eastern region and western region.
(i) Lake Superior Region:
In this region haematite iron ore occurs as long low ridge, the most important of which is the Mesabi Range. Other deposits occur in the Vermilion, Cuguna, Gogebic, Menominee and Marquette ranges. This region comprises north-eastern Minnesota, Michigan and south-eastern Wisconsin states.
(ii) North-eastern Region:
Mainly magnetite ores are mined in the Adirondacks region of New York and the Cornwall area of Pennsylvania. They have the advantage of a central location near the industrial cities of New York and Pittsburgh.
(iii) South-eastern Region:
This region, centered at Birmingham, Alabama, produces both haematite and limonite ores. It is favourably located near the coalfields of the southern Appalachians and serves the iron and steel industry of Birmingham.
(iv) Western Region:
This includes many scattered fields in western USA in the states of Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and California. The ores are transported to the steelworks at San Francisco, Los Angeles, Pueblo, Colorado and Provo, Utah.
2. South Africa:
South Africa emerged as a leading iron ore-producing country of the African continent and ranks 8th in the world iron ore production. In South Africa Transvaal is the main iron ore-producing centre.
Transvaal is having high-grade ore with 60 to 65 per cent iron content. The total reserves have been estimated at 10 billion tons in South Africa. The average annual production of South Africa is 4 million metric tons.
3. Canada:
Canada produces 1.95 per cent of the total world production of iron ore in 2006. Canada has iron ore in the Lake Superior region, as does the USA. The main centres are Schefferville and Wabush City. The iron field covers some 51,800 sq km and is estimated to have 400 million tons of iron reserves. Ore is taken by rail to Sept Isles on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and shipped via St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes to Canadian and US steel-making centres.
4. Sweden:
Sweden is a major iron ore producer in Europe and ranks 10th in the world production. It produces 1.42 per cent of the total iron ore production in 2006. The major iron ore mines of Sweden are located at Kiruna, Malmberget, Dannemore, Grangeberg, Falun, Fargesta, etc. The ore is having high grade magnetite iron, in which iron content is 65 per cent. Sweden used to export about 80 per cent of its production to its neighbouring European countries.
5. United Kingdom:
In the 19th century Great Britain was the leading producer of iron ore of the world but now it is no more in prominence and most of its ores have been exhausted. The area of eastern England is the most important in output of iron ore stretching from Yorkshire through Lincolnshire, Rutland, and Northamptonshire. UK is now a major iron ore importing country.
6. France:
The major producing areas of France are Lorraine, Normandy and Pyrenees. The Lorraine district supplies about 95 per cent of country’s total. Though the metallic content of the ores is about 35 per cent on the average, it can be smelted at a low cost because of calcium carbonate content in the ore. It is the largest single ore-body reserve in Europe. It helped much in setting up steel plants in France.
7. Germany:
The major iron ore-producing areas of Germany are located in West Germany, these are: Saar Vogelsburg, Erzeburg and Westphalia. Germany has considerable reserves of medium quality of ore located in the eastern part of Rhine valley, Siege and Lahn river valley.
8. Spain:
The main areas of iron ore in Spain are Bilbao, Oviedo and Santander of Iberian Peninsula.
Production and Distribution of Iron Ore around the World（2）
9. Africa:
In Africa, apart from South Africa, other countries having iron ore mining are Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Liberia and Mauritania. Mauritania is the 15th iron ore-producing country of the world, which has produced 0.65 per cent iron ore of the world in 2006.
10. Asia:
There are many areas in Asia, apart from China and India, which are having iron ore and also produce a limited quantity. The most notable ones are Iran and Kazakhstan, which rank 12th and 13th respectively in the world. North Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Philippines also produce iron ore.
11. Latin America:
In Latin America, Mexico, Venezuela, Chili and Peru are the iron ore-producing countries, other than Brazil. Mexico ranks 14th in world production and its share was 0.77 per cent in 2006. Venezuela has rich iron ore reserve in the Guiana Highlands at Cerro Bolivar and El Pau. Chile exploits deposits around Algarroba in Central Chile and Peru has mines in the Nazca Marcona area.
Guangdong Shunde Seko Machinery & Technology Co.,Ltd.www.gdseko.com
Lucy Xie
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Skype:Lucy Xie,SEKO Machinery
Suggested Reading:Production and Distribution of Iron Ore around the World（1）
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