Iron and nickel are the two heaviest elements generated by the earth's sun, present in the solar wind. The iron that gets past the magnetic fields and radiation belts is falling to earth all the time.
It is correct to say that where the iron comes from does not matter with modern processing techniques. When those processes were less efficient, or metallurgy was less well understood, then the ore source and the smiths who worked it, had a greater effect on the outcome. It still amazes me that by trial and error, the keen human observer figured all this out.