Iron is a metal. Nephi taught his people to work “in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper,” along with brass, steel, gold, silver, and precious ores (2 Nephi 5:15). Jarom said his people made “all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground,” as well as weapons and preparations for war (Jarom 1:8).
People “did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass,” and dug ore from the earth, casting up “mighty heaps of earth” to obtain ore of gold, silver, iron, and copper (Ether 10:23). King Noah imposed a tax of one fifth of possessions, including gold, silver, ziff, copper, brass, and iron (Mosiah 11:3).