In social studies im studying early settlements in places like india and learning about their techniques in where they lived. I have this project and i have to explain advantages and disadvantages for these different locations and one of them is right in the middle of an iron ore field. Is that a good thing, meaning can you farm there and raise animals and stuff like that?
Unless you're living on a slab of iron, or on top of a very, very rich ore deposit, so rich to the exclusion of most soil and its minerals. you'll be able to live happy and healthy. Iron is important in both plants and animals. It's integral to human hemoglobin, the substance that transports oxygen around the body. Living there would be useful as, if you have iron, and you have the technology, you can make iron tools. Iron tools are better than copper or bronze tools, but inferior to steel tools. If I had to chose between having an iron shovel and using my hands, I'd pick the iron shovel. Agriculture shouldn't be impacted, as plants, like people, naturally regulate their iron intake. If they are already full and don't need more iron, they won't take more iron out of the soil. That in mind, you can eat all of the corn, wheat, or whatever it is that you're growing without fear of iron poisoning. There would be elevated levels of iron in your water source, but again, unless you just chugged the water like a drunk kid at a fraternity party, your body would self-regulate, and you'd be fine. If, though, you did decide to chug the water, or perhaps eat the dirt, you could get iron poisoning, which is very bad.
