Minnesota iron ore discovery offers new semiconductor material route

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have discovered that low-purity iron ore from Minnesota’s Iron Range can be converted directly into semiconductor-quality pyrite. This finding, published in Physical Review Applied, suggests a more sustainable and cost-effective method for producing materials used in electronics, solar panels, and batteries.

Pyrite, often referred to as ‘fool’s gold,’ is an iron sulfide mineral that absorbs light effectively. While semiconductor manufacturing typically requires highly purified materials to avoid performance-degrading defects, the research team found that pyrite is unusually resistant to impurities. This allows for the use of abundant and inexpensive iron and sulfur, which are less toxic than materials used in many conventional semiconductor technologies.