铁矿 (tiě kuàng) literally combines 铁 (tiě), meaning 'iron', and 矿 (kuàng), meaning 'mine' or 'ore'. Together, it refers specifically to the naturally occurring rock or sedimentary material from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. It is a key raw material in steel production and industrial manufacturing.

This term is commonly used in geological, mining, economic, and environmental contexts — for example, when discussing natural resources, mining operations, or China’s domestic mineral reserves. While 铁 alone means 'iron' (the metal), adding 矿 specifies the unrefined, naturally occurring source. It is not used for processed iron or alloys, nor for metaphorical or abstract uses — it always denotes the physical ore deposit or material.