alpha-Fe2O3, 12.6 m(2)/g, prepared by calcining Fe(OH)(3) (pptd. from aq. Fe(NO3)(3) with NH4OH) for 4 h/600degreesC in O-2, and 0.5% and 5% Ru/Fe2O3 catalysts, 6.8 and 8.6 m(2)/g, resp., prepared by impregnating Fe2O3 with RuCl3, were studied in temperature-programmed (1-25degreesC/min) reductions (TPR) with H-2 or (5:95 v/v) H-2-Ar over 30-1200degreesC. Contrary to the reported 400degreesC, reduction of hematite to magnetite was found to start at 200degreesC; with 100% H-2 and 1degreesC/min, Fe was produced at below 400degreesC. With 5% H-2 and 1degreesC/min, the reduction was single step (max. at 500degreesC), Fe3O4-->Fe. With 5% H-2 and 25degreesC/min, two maxima occurred, 650 and 850degreesC; an intermediate step was suggested to involve wustite, which was borne out by XRD at below 570degreesC, and three steps were postulated, 3Fe(2)O(3)-->2Fe(3)O(4)-6FeO-->6Fe.