Ores

Ores can occasionally be produced by Mines. There are three varieties - Gold, Iron and Silver.

Iron Ore
Iron Ore can be smelted into Iron. Iron is required for some technologies, units, and buildings. It can also be used as a bargaining chip worth slightly less than refined Iron. Iron Ore can be purchased from the Stock Exchange.

Gold Ore
Gold Ore is very similar to Iron Ore, however, its refined form is never used in unit production. Gold is mostly used as a high-value bargaining chip.