Preferred term

Iron

Definition

Pure metallic element having symbol Fe and atomic number 26; metallic iron is silvery in color, lustrous, soft, ductile, malleable, and slightly magnetic; it rusts when exposed to moist air. It is rarely found as a native metal (telluric iron) except in meteorites (meteoric iron). Iron is most often found throughout the world as iron oxides (hematite, magnetite, limonite, and siderite) mixed with other ores.