Low-Grade Iron Ore Unlocks New Route to Semiconductor Materials

Low-grade iron ore unlocks new route to semiconductor materials

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have shown that low-purity iron ore from Minnesota can be converted directly into semiconductor-quality pyrite, potentially opening a cheaper route to materials for future solar panels, batteries and electronic devices. Pyrite, commonly known as fool’s gold, is an unusual semiconductor. It absorbs light strongly, is made from abundant elements and is non-toxic and inexpensive. But making hig…

Minnesota Iron Ore May Enable More Sustainable, Affordable Semiconductor Manufacturing

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL — A low-purity iron ore mined from Minnesota’s Iron Range could become an unexpected source of advanced electronic materials, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. In a study published in Physical Review Applied, the team demonstrated for the first time that iron ore commonly regarded as unsuitable […]

Minnesota Iron Ore Could Be Key to Sustainable and Lower-Cost Semiconductor

For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated that the low-purity iron ore prevalent in Minnesota can be used to create semiconductor-quality iron sulfide, also known as "fool's gold" or pyrite.