List of countries by iron ore production
This is a list of countries by iron ore production in 2024 based on U.S. Geological Survey data.[1]
| Rank | Country | Usable iron ore production (million tonnes) | Iron content (million tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| โ | World | 2,500 | 1,600 |
| 1 | 930 | 580 | |
| 2 | 440 | 280 | |
| 3 | 270 | 170 | |
| 4 | 270 | 170 | |
| 5 | 91 | 53 | |
| 6 | 90 | 59 | |
| 7 | 66 | 42 | |
| 8 | 54 | 32 | |
| 9 | 48 | 30 | |
| 10 | 42 | 26 | |
| 11 | 30 | 9 | |
| 12 | 28 | 20 | |
| 13 | 21 | 14 | |
| 14 | 18 | 11 | |
| 14 | 18 | 11 | |
| 15 | 15 | 9 | |
| 16 | 8 | 5 | |
| โ | Rest of world | 64 | 37 |
Note: "Usable iron ore" figures refer to the processed ore product suitable for steelmaking, not the raw extracted material. As such, countries with lower-grade ores like China extensively beneficiate magnetite ores (typically <30% Fe) to produce market-grade material (~60% Fe), making their usable ore output appear comparable to high-grade producers like Australia or Brazil. However, the efficiency, cost, and environmental impact of such beneficiation vary significantly.[2]
Pig iron production
This is a list of countries by pig iron production in 2023.[3]
| Rank | Country | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 871.0 | |
| 2 | 86.3 | |
| 3 | 63.0 | |
| 4 | 54.6 | |
| 5 | 45.2 | |
| 6 | 25.7 | |
| 7 | 23.6 | |
| 8 | 20.6 |
See also
Notes
References
- ^ "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 โ Iron Ore" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ^ Gupta, Amit; Kumar, Rajesh (2024). "Exploring Low-Grade Iron Ore Beneficiation Techniques". Minerals. 14 (8): 796. doi:10.3390/min14080796.
- ^ "World Steel in Figures 2024" (PDF). World Steel Association. Retrieved 2025-04-22.