<P> Iron mining in the United States produced 42.5 million metric tons of iron ore in 2015, worth US $3.8 billion . Iron ore was the third - highest - value metal mined in the United States, after gold and copper . Iron ore was mined from nine active mines and three reclamation operations in Michigan, Minnesota, and Utah . Most of the iron ore was mined in northern Minnesota's Mesabi Range . Net exports (exports minus imports) were 3.9 million tons . US iron ore made up 2.5 percent of the total mined worldwide in 2015 . Employment as of 2014 was 5,750 in iron mines and iron ore treatment plants . </P> <P> US iron ore mining is dominated by the Precambrian banded iron formation deposits around Lake Superior, in Minnesota and Michigan; such deposits were also formerly mined in Wisconsin . For the past 50 years, more than 90 percent of US iron ore production has been mined from the Lake Superior deposits . None of the iron ore now mined in the US is "direct shipping" ore ready to be fed into the iron - and steel - making process . The ore is concentrated to raise the iron content before use . All the iron ore currently mined is from open pits . </P>

Where does iron come from in the us