Book excerpt: Without iron ore, we wouldn't have steel, and without steel, we wouldn't have the magnificent skyscrapers, bridges, and many other structures that demand building materials of considerable strength. In fact, about 98 percent of all mined iron ore is used in the production of steel. Future architects and engineers will discover how the mineral substance iron ore forms, where it's found, and how it's transformed through smelting into a useful industrial metal. Charts, diagrams, and photographs present more beneficial information, while sidebars help readers understand why iron ore is significant to their lives.