57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy has been employed to characterize the chemical composition of iron aerosols collected from three distinct groups of sites representing remote, urban and industrially active areas. The Mössbauer spectra clearly show this environmental difference. The fact that the spectra of the samples collected from the remote areas are quite similar to those of clay minerals corroborates the view that iron aerosols are soil derived. Similarly the predominant presence of -Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 in the close vicinity of industrial activities suggests that the Mössbauer spectroscopy can help identify the anthropogenic processes against the natural ones.