In 2025, iron ore was worth an average of approximately * U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit (dmtu), compared to only U.S. dollars per dmtu in 2000. The month with the highest average iron ore price in 2021 was June, at over *** U.S. dollars per dmtu.Â
Iron ore: market context and price fluctuation
Iron ore is composed of minerals and rocks from which metallic iron can be extracted. Iron ore is an important part of the world economy, as a large proportion of iron ore is used to make steel, which is a widely used material globally. In a given year, the monthly price of iron ore varies noticeably, ranging for example from a high of * U.S. dollars per dmtu in June 2021 down to a low of U.S. dollars per dmtu in November 2021.
Major iron ore producing nations
Australia has the world's largest iron ore reserves, at ** billion metric tons of crude iron ore and is also the world's largest producer of iron ore. Not surprisingly, China, the world's leading steel manufacturer, is also the world's leading importer of iron. In recent years, China's iron imports have increased significantly, from **** million metric tons in 2004, to over *** billion metric tons in 2018.
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World Bank. (March 3, 2026). Iron ore prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 17, 2026, from /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/
World Bank. "Iron ore prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit)." Chart. March 3, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 17, 2026. /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/
World Bank. (2026). Iron ore prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit). ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 17, 2026. /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/
World Bank. "Iron Ore Prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. Dollars per Dry Metric Ton Unit)." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 3 Mar 2026, /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/
World Bank, Iron ore prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit) ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/ (last visited July 17, 2026)
Iron ore prices from 2000 to 2025 (in U.S. dollars per dry metric ton unit) [Graph], World Bank, March 3, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/282830/iron-ore-prices-since-2003/