**Section 3 Advanced Applications 147**


Preface

Despite an increasing importance of the new materials, iron remains the basis of modern hu‐ man civilization, and steel (alloy of iron and carbon) is the most important engineering and construction material worldwide. In other words, we still live in the Iron Age. In this respect, iron ore is strategically an important resource and the way how it is mined, processed and

This book encompasses the entire value chain of iron ore mining and processing industries, and therefore is structured into three sections delivering a synergy of multidisciplinary as‐ pects such as (i) geological genesis and characteristics of iron ore deposits; (ii) processing, agglomeration, reduction and smelting of iron ore materials; and (iii) advanced applications of iron oxide materials. The chapters are written by the researchers from all over the world. I am very grateful to all the authors for their contribution, willingness to share research results and expertise with the reading audience, and for their hard work to make this book happen. I sincerely thank the publisher *IntechOpen* for the initiative to publish this book. Reading audience of researchers and students has now a rare opportunity to find comprehensive, cutting-edge information covering a wide range of interdisciplinary issues in the domain of

**Volodymyr Shatokha**

Dnipro, Ukraine

National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine

applied, determines the framework of our current and future industrial development.

science and technology of iron ores and iron oxide materials in a single book.

