Explore Australia's green iron opportunity through new StoryMap
Page last updated:23 September 2026
Geoscience Australia has released a new interactive StoryMap bringing together national geoscience and spatial information about Australia's emerging green iron opportunity.
Green iron has the potential to support lower-emissions global steel production while developing new industries and increasing the value of Australia's resources.
A future Australian green iron export industry could also provide trading partners with a pathway to reduce energy demand and emissions from steel production, strengthen supply chain resilience and maintain access to a reliable source of iron feedstock.
The Port River industrial precinct at Port Adelaide where bulk carriers export South Australian iron ore resources.
Green metals are a priority within the Australian Government's Future Made in Australia agenda, reflecting their potential contribution to Australia's economic and net zero transition.
Understanding where and how that opportunity might develop requires consideration of a range of factors – from iron ore resources and renewable energy to infrastructure, transport, water and geography.
The Green Iron StoryMap, developed and delivered through the Digital Atlas of Australia, provides an accessible introduction to these factors and connects users with Geoscience Australia's broader geoscience, spatial data and analytical capability.
Australia hosts the world’s largest share of iron ore resources including hematite and magnetite.
Magnetite ore (Fe3O4). Magnetite contains less iron in its raw form, typically around 20–30%. However, because its iron minerals are magnetic, magnetite can be processed using magnetic separation to produce a very high-grade, low-impurity concentrate. This high-grade concentrate is well suited to many hydrogen-based technologies used to produce low-emissions iron and steel.
Hematite ore (Fe2O3). Most of Australia’s iron ore current production comes from large hematite deposits in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. These ores contain a high proportion of iron (58-65%), which means they can be mined and exported with minimal processing. This has helped make Australia one of the world's leading iron ore exporters.
The StoryMap has been developed with international investors, governments and other stakeholders in mind, but is available to anyone interested in understanding the factors influencing Australia's green iron potential. It also provides a pathway to more detailed information and analytical tools for users wanting to explore the opportunity further.
Geoscience Australia provides trusted, national precompetitive geoscience and spatial information to help governments, industry and investors make informed decisions. The StoryMap makes relevant evidence more accessible by bringing together some of the key factors that may influence green iron development.
The StoryMap complements broader Australian Government work to support the development of Australia's green metals industry and reflects Geoscience Australia’s role in providing evidence and analysis to inform decision-making.
Australia's key export hubs and prospective global markets for Australian green iron.
Explore the Green Iron StoryMap: Mapping Australia's green iron opportunity
Australia welcomes international investment in opportunities that support the development of its green iron industry. Investors can find further information and support through Austrade: Forging ahead: Australia's green iron opportunity.