precursor to diamond pickaxe
Iron is used for toolmaking, weaponmaking, construction, iron alloys (steels), and as a general building material.
Iron can be found in native form, typically in the form of meteoric iron.
Iron is a primary constituent of hematite, magnetite, siderite, limonite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, goethite, banded iron, ochre, and pyrite.
Interstellar primary sources of Iron are in the form of regolith on atmosphere-free surfaces, with concentrations ranging from 4% to 20% of the soil contents, and significantly higher on heavily oxidized (So-called red/rust) bodies which are very efficient mining targets due to their overall composition.
Iron is commonly alloyed with: