The metal iron

• Iron in mined mostly in South-Central Zimbabwe
• Haemitite (iron ore) deposits can be found at Redcliff and Buchwa
• There are other deposits in other places but the Redcliff site has the advantage of having limestone deposits next by
• Limestone is used in the processing of iron
• The iron ore is converted into iron and steel at the Redcliff mine
• Coal which is used to make coke and fire the process is brought in from Hwange using railway lines
• Very few metals are found in nature as elements and iron is no exception
• Most metals combine with oxygen, sulphure and carbon dioxide
• They thus occur in nature as metal compounds
• These compound ores have to be processed to extract the minerals
• Iron ore also has to be processed to obtain the metal iron

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