Commercial Uses for Ironstone

Iron Production

• Ironstone can be a source of iron, which can be extracted from the stone by blasting it with extreme heat. Although the rock contains less than 50 percent of iron, it was used extensively for iron production in the United Kingdom until the early 20th century. Today, ironstone is rarely used to make iron, as it has been replaced with other more iron-rich ores.

Ceramics

• Ironstone was used in the United Kingdom to make ceramics, such as ironstone china, in the early 19th century. Ironstone china was much cheaper to produce than porcelain and much stronger, making it a highly demanded material. When used in ceramics and pottery, ironstone is manufactured in a bluish color, where it resembles porcelain. Other names that ironstone china received in the ceramics industry include granite, real ironstone, opaque and stone china.

Building Materials and Construction

• Ironstone was used to build many churches and building in England in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Cleveland Ironstone Mine first began operating in the 19th century, and the ironstone was in fact used to provide miners with comfortable living conditions. Ironstone provided relatively inexpensive building materials that were strong, due to its clay holding properties. Throughout the history of the mine, several other homes, hospitals and stores within the town were built by ironstone compounds and rocks.

Garden Landscaping

• If you are looking at remodeling your home's garden and putting in some new landscaping, consider using ironstone rock. The rock adds pleasing aesthetics to your garden, as they are typically a muddy red color. Throughout Canada and Oxfordshire, England, there are large quarries that collect ironstone rock for this very purpose. Ironstone can make fillers in garden areas, as well as line garden paths.