What is iron used for?

Iron is used primarily for manufacturing steel and for civil engineering applications. There are many different types of iron alloys that have different properties, such as stainless steel for cooking and cast iron for pipes. Iron is the most widely used metal on Earth.

In its pure form, iron is a shiny, gray metal. Most uses for iron use iron alloys, which is a combination of iron and one or more other metals. These alloys are extremely strong and durable, which means they can be used for high-stress applications such as bridge cables and gun barrels. Iron is used extensively in civil engineering, manufacturing and construction.