Iron is the second most abundant metal on Earth

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of strongly coloured iron(III) oxides in the soils and on weathering surfaces. However, in order to form iron(III) rich minerals free oxygen must be available to oxidise iron(II). When the Earth first formed there was no free oxygen and iron in the oceans was probably mostly iron(II) in solution. It is thought the evolution of photosynthetic bacteria may have changed the way the world worked. They probably produced enough oxygen to start oxidising iron(II) in the oceans and begin precipitating iron(III) oxides onto the ocean floor. This resulted, over millions of years, in the formation of huge layers of iron oxide deposits on the floors of the worlds oceans. These layers, often called Banded Iron Formations or BIFs now outcrop as massive iron ore deposits and are the basis of the large iron ore mining industry in Western Australia. Eventually, enough oxygen was produced to oxidise all the free iron(II) in the oceans and as a result oxygen began to accumulate in the atmosphere. Atmospheric oxygen is now a key component in the weathering and erosion of rocks in the terrestrial landscape too, resulting in iron(III) oxides forming and accumulating in the landscape. Properties and uses of iron Iron, aluminium, copper, zinc and lead are the most commonly used metals today. Iron is the metal of choice for many items because of its strength and abundance. However, most uses of iron do not use the pure metal.
Steel is an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon, less than 2%. Iron with more than 2% carbon develops a lower melting point. The melting point of

Aluminium is the most abundant metallic element but iron has played a much greater role in human history and is an essential part of everybody, literally! Iron is one of 94 naturally occurring elements. It is a metallic material with a silver-grey colour and metallic lustre. Its Atomic Number is 26 and its symbol is Fe. Iron is found in all parts of the planet. It comprises about 5% of the Earths crust but is thought to make up perhaps as much as 80% of the planets core. There are four naturally occurring stable isotopes of iron with at least four unstable isotopes also known to exist. A rusty red world Iron rarely occurs as a pure metal in nature because it rapidly reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide. Rust is an iron oxide most people would be familiar with. In fact, most iron ore mined today is a natural accumulation of rust! The four most common iron ore minerals are magnetite [Fe3O4], haematite [Fe2O3], goethite [FeO.OH] and limonite [FeO(OH)nH2O ]. Iron oxides are very stable minerals that are formed through the oxidation of other iron rich minerals weathering out of rocks. Places such as Australia (and probably Mars) have a characteristic red hue to their landscapes due to the accumulation

pure iron is 1538oC while iron with more than 2% carbon melts at around 1370oC and is called cast iron. This type of iron was probably the first type of iron used by people because the temperatures and low oxygen environments required could be achieved in simple furnaces. It is usually cast into shapes, hence the name, and although strong it is very brittle. Low carbon steels are more ductile and malleable and more easily welded. By varying the carbon content between 0.2 and 1.5% steels with varying degrees or hardness, strength and workability can be produced, making iron one of the most important materials in use today. Everything from buildings to bridges, car bodies to springs, watches and wire rope contains iron in the form of steel.
Stainless steel is an iron based material most Australians would be familiar with because of its use in sinks, troughs and many other household appliances. It is an iron-carbon alloy that contains at least 10.5% chromium. The chromium forms a layer of chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) when exposed to oxygen and even though too thin to see this layer protects the steel beneath it from oxidation and quickly reforms if scratched off.

Iron and some iron oxides are magnetic. Magnetite, [Fe3O4], is the most magnetic natural mineral known. Lodestone, a type of magnetite, was used to build the earliest magnetic compasses. Iron is also the most essential trace element in humans and most other animals because it is central to the structure and functioning of blood in transporting oxygen around the body.
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Acknowledgement: Greg McNamara, Education and Outreach, Geological Society of Australia

Iron colours worlds red

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6. Many minerals have a distinctive property called streak. Streak is the powder colour of a mineral and is usually observed by scratching a mineral on a white unglazed tile to make a powder that sits on a white background. The fine powder in the streak can be an important diagnostic tool in mineral identification and is often very different to the colour of the larger mineral.
Mineral Magnetite Haematite Goethite Limonite Streak Black Bright to dark red Brown to yellow-brown to orange-yellow yellow-brown

1. Iron atoms are present on Earth as four naturally occurring isotopes; 54Fe, 56Fe, 57Fe and 58Fe. Given that iron has an Atomic Number of 26 how many protons, neutrons and electrons does each isotope have? 2. Iron has two common oxidation states: Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ The mineral magnetite has the formula Fe3O4 but it is also sometimes written as FeO.Fe2O3. .What are the oxidation states of each of the iron atoms in FeO.Fe2O3. given oxygen is O2-? Explain your answer 3. The mineral limonite is a hydrated iron oxidehydroxide. It has the general formula FeO(OH)nH2O. What three elements are found in this mineral? 4. Why is the mineral limonite called a hydrated iron oxide? 5. The mineral haematite [also spelled hematite] usually forms in water or in the presence of water. All minerals, including haematite, have a distinctive spectra of light they reflect. The spectral signature of haematite has been detected at several places on the surface of Mars. What does this suggest about past environments on Mars?

In Australian desert landscapes the soils have a distinctive reddish hue. Which iron oxide is most likely to be the cause of this hue and what size are the oxide grains likely to be? Gravel, sand or clay sized? Explain your reasoning. 7. The massive iron ore deposits of Western Australia are found in Banded Iron Formations (BIFs). The iron rich bands are interbedded with iron poor shales and cherts. Assuming the iron rich bands are formed from iron(II) in the oceans being oxidised and precipitating out as iron(III) oxides what natural phenomena could explain the alternating iron-rich and iron poor bands? Note that the oxygen at the time was being supplied by photosynthetic bacteria. Think about natural processes that control rates of photosynthesis and explain your answer accordingly. 8. When rocks weather the iron rich minerals within them are converted to clays and the iron oxidised to form strongly coloured iron oxide minerals such as goethite and haematite. Granite forms very pale yellow clay rich soils. Basalt forms chocolate brown soils. Which rock type is likely to have the highest percentage of iron-rich minerals in its composition? Justify your answer.

Acknowledgement: Greg McNamara, Education and Outreach, Geological Society of Australia

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