• Iron is silver-grey transition metal
• Iron was discovered before 5000 BC
• The "Iron Age" in human history is indicative of the importance of this element
• Native iron in the metallic state occurs rarely as small inclusions in certain basalt rocks and as meteoritic iron
• Iron is the most common element on Earth by mass, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core
• Iron is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust
• Iron abundance in universe is due to production by fusion in high-mass stars, where it is the last element to be produced
• Iron is reactive to oxygen and water, hence nearly all iron in the earth's crust is in the combined form as oxide ores
• Iron forms compounds mainly in the +2 and +3 oxidation states. Traditionally, iron(II) compounds are called ferrous, and iron(III) compounds ferric
• Iron represents an example of allotropy in a metal. At least four allotropic forms of iron are known
• At 770 °C (the Curie point) iron's magnetic ordering changes from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic
• Pure iron is a relatively soft metal, impurities like carbon have a dramatic effect in increasing hardness and strength
• Crude iron metal is produced in blast furnaces, where ore is reduced by coke to pig iron, which is high carbon and other impurities
• Pig iron is refined further to form cast iron, wrought iron and steel
• Iron is the most widely used of all the metals, accounting for over 90% of worldwide metal production
• Iron's low cost and high strength make it indispensable in engineering applications like machinery, tools and structural components
• Iron is used in a vast range of alloys with a vast range of properties from soft and ductile to super strong and hard to corrosion and heat resistant
• The dominant use of iron is in metallurgy, but iron compounds are also very important chemicals
• Iron is required for life
• Iron plays an important role in biology, forming complexes with oxygen in hemoglobin and myoglobin allowing oxygen transport in the blood of animals
• Iron is a critical element in the metabolism of hundreds of proteins and enzymes involved in diverse body functions, such as oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, and cell growth

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