Globally, high-grade, low impurity iron ores are being rapidly depleted. The decline in ore quality is particularly problematic for Australian producers as a large proportion of Australia’s future Pilbara iron ore resources are composed of lower grade, impurity-rich hematite-goethite and goethite-rich ores. Aluminium (Al), silicon (Si), and phosphorus (P) are the most commonly occurring and troublesome impurities found in these ores with previous work indicating that these impurities are commonly associated with discrete aluminosilicate gangue mineral phases while P, Al and Si are associated with goethite. The distribution and incorporation mechanism of the impurities, particularly those directly associated with goethite, differ greatly across different goethitic-containing ore types. A current lack of knowledge regarding the mineralogical and textural controls on the distribution and concentration of impurities in goethite has resulted in immense pressure to develop a fundamental understanding of impurity deportment in goethite-rich ores.