Ferrous metals are iron base metals which include all variety of pig iron, cast iron wrought iron and steels. The ferrous metals are those which have iron as their main constituents. The ferrous metals commonly used in engineering practice are cast iron, wrought iron, steel and alloy steels. The basic principal raw material for all ferrous metals is pig iron which is obtained by smelting iron ore, coke and limestone, in the blast furnace. The principal iron ores with their metallic contents are shown in bwlow Table .

Main Types of Iron

1. Pig iron
2. Cast iron
   1. White cast iron
   2. Gray cast iron
   3. Malleable cast iron
   4. Ductile cast iron
   5. Meehanite cast iron
   6. Alloy cast iron
3. Wrought iron
4. Steel
   1. Plain carbon steels
      1. Dead Carbon steels
      2. Low Carbon steels
      3. Medium Carbon steels
      4. High Carbon steels
   2. Alloy steels
      1. High speed steel
      2. Stainless steel