After its extraction in the form of iron ore, 99 per cent of the iron is employed in the steel industry. The normative documents existents recommend to volumetry as the technical analytic for quantification of iron in iron ore, with the exception of ISO 9516-1: 2003, which recommends the fluorescence spectrometry X-ray wavelength (WDXRF). In literature, there are studies using energy dispersive Xray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) to quantify iron in iron ore, but none of these is characterized by complete validation and measurement uncertainty. Other aspects to be considered when selecting an analytical method are the financial cost and the time for analysis. In this work it is carried out a comparative study of financial cost, time analysis and metrological performance on quantification of iron ore through the EDXRF technique, in comparison with the results obtained by molecular absorption spectrophotometry and volumetry (titration with potassium dichromate), including measurement uncertainty evaluation and some parameter of validation for EDXRF. The molecular absorption spectrophotometry measurements were performed by colorimetric orthophenanthroline method. Unlike the other approaches that require sample preparation with acid, for EDXRF measurements, samples were prepared in tablet form (pressed iron ore powder). The evaluated methods presented equivalent metrological performances on determining iron in ore, but the best long-term outcome for cost was observed in the results obtained by EDXRF method.