forms over millions of years in the pore spaces of sedimentary rocks from remains of ocean-dwelling phytoplankton; over time it migrates upward toward the highest point in the porous rock because it is less dense than the rock.
Hereditary hemochromatosis (hee-muh-kro-muh-TOE-sus) is a genetic disease that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. Iron is an important nutrient that our bodies get from food.
Hemochromatosis results in the build-up of high levels of iron in the body, called iron overload. People with hereditary hemochromatosis, the most common form of hemochromatosis, have the disorder from birth, but generally do not begin to experience symptoms until they are in middle age.