Ion implantation induces subdivision in the substructures of metal lattices. However, after Ar** plus ions have been implanted into Armco iron samples at a nominal dose of 10**1**5, 10**1**6 or 10**1**7 ions cm** minus **2, in the absence of a chemical contribution of the implanted species it was found that no electrochemical or corrosion feature of the metal was noticeably affected; however, the attack morphology in its initial stage is modified both in Nital etching solution and under pitting attack by chlorides; and ion beam mixing at the oxidized metal surface is possible, producing different effects for various Ar** plus ion doses. Oxygen is probably inserted into the metal structures at lower Ar** plus ion doses and sputtered away at higher Ar** plus ion doses.