What are Iron Oxides?
Iron Oxides Simply Explained
Iron oxides are a group of chemical compounds made up of oxygen and iron atoms. They're commonly found in Earth's crust. Iron oxides occur in a variety of forms, most commonly as minerals and as components of rocks and soils.
The main iron oxides are hematite and magnetite, both of which are important iron ores.
Iron oxides can be found in soil as a result of the weathering of rocks and minerals. The weathering process releases iron from minerals within rocks, which then reacts with oxygen and water.
The most familiar form of iron oxide is rust, which is a mixture of hydrated iron oxides. Rust forms when iron is exposed to oxygen and moisture.
Because of their stability and strong colouring, iron oxides have been used as pigments for thousands of years. The prehistoric Chauvet cave in southern France contains some of the world's oldest cave art.
The earliest examples date back approximately 36,500 years. They include animals, human figures, and abstract designs.
The art in the Chauvet cave was created using a variety of techniques and materials, including charcoal, red ochre, and other pigments. The majority of the pigments came from iron oxide minerals, manganese-rich minerals, and charcoal.
Iron oxides are a diverse group of compounds with wide-ranging natural and industrial uses. They're a major component of Earth’s crust.
Article Photo
The photo shown in our article is an iron oxide-stained limestone cave wall (Ohio Caverns, western Ohio, USA). Photo: Courtesy of James St. John.
