2008 Minerals Yearbook

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

IRON AND STEEL [ADVANCE RELEASE]

March 2010
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.1

IRON AND STEEL

By Michael D. Fenton

Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Hoa P. Phamdang, statistical assistant, and world production tables were 

prepared by Linder Roberts (pig iron) and Glenn J. Wallace (steel), international data coordinators.

The leading domestic steelmakers earned large profi ts during 

the fi rst half of 2008, and steel analysts and company offi cials 

were predicting higher steel prices and demand, especially from 

China, during the remainder of the year. However by September 

2008, the global economic recession caused a reduction in 

steel demand in the construction, industrial equipment, and 

vehicle markets; a decline of steel prices; a reduction in steel 

production; a delay in expansion plans; and the furloughing of 

workers. By October 2008, the global index of all quoted steel 

stocks had fallen 4% compared with the world index of all 

publicly traded companies (Marsh, 2008).

Steel companies continued to invest in new systems to 

improve operations and yield, and to reduce carbon dioxide 

emissions (Steel Trade Today, 2008). The new FINEX 

iron-making process, developed by POSCO, uses both fi ne 

coal and fi ne iron ore, making it more cost effective than the 

similar Corex process, and emissions are almost 80% less than 

those of the blast furnace process (Ramstad, 2008). In blast 

furnaces, pulverized coal, natural gas, and recycled plastics are 

increasingly used to replace metallurgical coke as the primary 

reductant and chemical energy source. A reduction in energy 

use is made by heat recovery, and by the recovery and re-use of 

waste gases.

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported 

U.S. production of iron and steel and shipments of steel mill 

products. These data can be regarded as representing 100% of 

the raw steel producers in the United States. World production 

of iron and steel was reported by the World Steel Association 

(WSA) and by foreign government agencies. Consistent with 

international usage and Federal Government policy, the U.S. 

Geological Survey reported all data on iron and steel in metric 

units unless otherwise noted.

Environment

Climate change, allegedly infl uenced by manmade carbon 

emissions, continued to be a signifi cant issue for the world steel 

industry. Developed and developing countries were expected 

to negotiate accords for the post-Kyoto period through 2013 

and prepare for the United Nations Conference of the Parties in 

Copenhagen in December 2009. This global problem can only 

be addressed effectively by lowering carbon dioxide emissions 

globally, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute 

(2009b). In 2007, more than 2 billion metric tons (Gt) of carbon 

dioxide was emitted by steel producers around the world. Steel 

is the largest single-industry emitter of carbon dioxide, and 

global emissions could possibly double by 2050, should the 

per capita use of steel in developing countries such as China 

and India become comparable with levels in the developed 

countries (Christmas, 2008a; World Steel Association, 2008). 

More than 90% of global steel industry emissions came from 

iron production in Brazil, China, the European Union (EU), 

India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Ukraine, and 

the United States. China produced more than 50% of total 

carbon dioxide emitted by the steel industry (Christmas, 2007). 

The steel industry in the United States has the lowest energy 

consumption per ton of production and the lowest emissions of 

carbon dioxide per ton of production in the world (American 

Iron and Steel Industry, 2009b). The U.S. steel industry favored 

cooperating with foreign competitors to lower emissions, as 

long as U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace was 

not reduced in doing so. Specifi cally, the U.S. steel industry 

indicated that carbon dioxide reduction legislation in the United 

States should be matched by the same level of regulatory 

stringency in other countries, such as China and India.

At yearend 2007, the WSA announced its new global steel 

sector approach to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The WSA 

methodology used an intensity-based approach to measure 

carbon dioxide emissions produced per ton of steel rather than 

recording the total carbon dioxide emissions within a country or 

region. This globally consistent calculation methodology would 

allow production-normalized emission comparisons between 

plants and regions (World Steel Association, 2007). Steel plants 

worldwide began contributing emission data to WSA in 2008. 

By July 11, 106 steel plants had contributed data, and the WSA 

expected to receive data from about 400 steel plants worldwide, 

which would account for more than 50% of WSA membership 

production (Christmas, 2008b).

In August 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

announced a national program to recover 80% to 90% of all 

available mercury switches from scrap automobiles by 2017 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009). The National 

Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program was designed to 

recover about 40 million mercury-containing light switches 

from scrap vehicles that are melted to make new steel. This 

would signifi cantly reduce mercury air emissions from the 

fourth leading source in the United States—the furnaces used in 

steelmaking. By February 2008, one million mercury-containing 

automotive switches were collected, which represented more 

than one ton of mercury removed from the environment. 

Production

Raw steel production in the United States was about 91.9 

million metric tons (Mt) in 2008, down about 6.3% from that 

in 2007 (table 1). The AISI estimated raw steel production 

capability to be about 113 Mt, about the same as that in 2007. 

Production represented 81.4% of estimated capacity, down from 

87.0% in 2007.

Integrated steel producers smelted iron ores to make liquid 

iron in blast furnaces and used basic oxygen furnaces to refi ne 

the liquid iron with some steel scrap to produce raw liquid 
37.2 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

steel. The basic oxygen process was used to make 39.1 Mt of 

steel in the United States (American Iron and Steel Institute, 

2009a, p. 72). The use of this process increased to 42.6% of 

total steel production in 2008 from 41.8% in 2007. Blast furnace 

operations in the United States were operated by 7 companies at 

15 locations (Iron and Steel Technology, 2008, p. 92).

Minimills and specialty mills are nonintegrated steel 

producers that use the electric arc furnace (EAF) to melt 

low-cost raw materials (usually scrap). They also employ 

continuous casting machines and hot-rolling mills that are 

often closely coupled to casting operations. Specialty mills 

include producers of alloy-electrical, stainless, and tool steel; 

high-temperature alloys; forged ingots; and other low-volume 

steel products. An estimated 47 companies operated about 

98 EAF facilities in the United States during 2007 (Steel 

Business Briefi ng, 2007, p. 28). These U.S. mills used the 

EAF steelmaking process to produce 53.1 Mt of steel, a 7.4% 

decrease from that in 2007, and accounted for 57.4% of total 

steelmaking (American Iron and Steel Institute, 2009a, p. 73).

Raw liquid steel is mostly cast into semifi nished products in 

continuous casting machines. Only 3.6% of U.S. production 

was cast in ingot form in 2008, and subsequently rolled into 

semifi nished forms, about the same percentage as that of 2007. 

Continuous casting production was 88.5 Mt, or 96.4% of total 

steel production, about the same as in 2007 (American Iron and 

Steel Institute, 2009a, p. 73).

Essar Steel Minnesota, LLC (a subsidiary of Essar Steel 

Ltd. based in Hibbing, MN) was building an open pit mining, 

concentrator, and pellet plant operation to supply a new DRI 

plant and slab caster. This operation, formerly known as 

Minnesota Steel Industries, LLC, will be the fi rst integrated 

mine-through-steel-making facility in North America. 

Consumption

Steel mill products are produced at steel mills either by 

forging or rolling into forms normally delivered for fabrication 

or use. Some companies purchase semifi nished steel mill 

products from other steel companies and use them to produce 

fi nished steel products. The accumulated shipments of all 

companies less the shipments to other reporting companies are 

identifi ed as net shipments to avoid double counting.

U.S. apparent steel consumption, an indicator of economic 

growth, decreased to 102 Mt in 2008 from 116 Mt in 2007. 

Shipments of steel mill products by U.S. companies decreased 

by 7.5% to 89.3 Mt compared with those of 2007 (American 

Iron and Steel Institute, 2009a, p. 25). Compared with those 

in 2007, shipments of construction and contractors’ products, 

the largest single end-use market of steel, decreased by 14% 

in 2008; automotive product shipments decreased by 6%; 

shipments of agricultural and industrial machinery, equipment, 

and tools decreased by 18%; steel service center shipments 

decreased by 4%; lumbering, mining, oil and gas, and quarrying 

industries shipments decreased by 7%; and shipments of 

appliances and containers, packaging, and shipping material 

decreased by 5% (American Iron and Steel Institute, 2009a, 

p. 29).

Prices

The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics 

(2009), producer price index for steel mill products was up by 

21% to 220.6 in 2008 from 182.9 in 2007 (1982 base=100) 

(table 1). Hot-rolled steel sheet rose steadily from $579 per 

metric ton in January to a high of $1,068 per ton in July, 

before declining steadily to a December price of $566 per ton 

(Purchasing Magazine, 2009).

Foreign Trade

Export shipments of steel mill products by AISI reporting 

companies increased to 12.2 Mt from 10.1 Mt in 2007 (table 

1). Canada received the largest amount of U.S. exported steel, 

6.3 Mt, 10% more than in 2007 (table 4). Mexico was again 

the second leading importer, receiving 2.7 Mt, 24% more than 

in 2007. Imports of steel mill products increased slightly to 

28.9 Mt from 28.6 Mt in 2007. Brazil, Canada, China, the EU, 

Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, and 

Ukraine were major sources of steel mill product imports.

Imports of semifi nished steel (table 6) by steel companies 

should be taken into consideration in evaluating apparent 

consumption (supply) of steel mill products in the United States 

and the share of the market represented by imported steel. To 

avoid double counting the imported semifi nished steel and 

the products produced from it, the amount of semifi nished 

steel consumed by companies that also produced raw steel 

should be subtracted from domestic consumption. Between 

1993 and 2006, semifi nished steel imports ranged between 2.5 

million metric tons per year (Mt/yr) and 8.5 Mt/yr. Prior to 

1993, the amount was less than 0.2 Mt/yr. Taking the imported 

semifi nished steel into consideration, the share of the U.S. steel 

market represented by imported steel was an estimated 30% in 

2008 compared with 26% in 2007.

In mid-January 2008, the European Commission introduced 

proposals for cutting EU carbon dioxide emissions by at least 

20% from 1990 levels by 2020 (International Herald Tribune, 

2008). The EU steel sector reportedly alleges that it will be 

facing higher costs than its foreign competitors, specifi cally 

Chinese, Russian, and United States steelmakers, because of 

the EU’s determination to lead the world in climate protection. 

Thus, proposals have been made in Europe to establish a carbon 

tax on imports of steel and other products into the EU. 

An unknown factor in the future of the steel industry is 

what China will do with its excess steel production (Pittsburgh 

Post-Tribune, 2008). The U.S. trade laws are alleged to be of 

little help in preventing dumping of lower grade steel products 

from China, as evidenced by inadequate duty collection. The 

U.S. General Accountability Offi ce issued a report which said 

that between 2001 and 2007, Customs and Border Protection 

failed to collect more than $600 million in antidumping/

countervailing duties, with a signifi cant percentage of these lost 

duties involving antidumping cases against China (American 

Iron and Steel Institute, 2008).

Regarding the reporting of imports and exports (tables 4–6), 

“fabricated steel products” are produced from steel mill products 
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.3

but do not include products that incorporate steel products 

with other materials. Examples of fabricated steel products 

are structural steel and steel fasteners. “Other iron and steel 

products” refers to products that are not produced from steel 

mill products. Examples of other iron and steel products include 

iron or steel castings and direct reduced iron (DRI).

World Review

World production of pig iron totaled about 932 Mt, slightly 

less than that in 2007 (table 9). The pig iron production of the 

EU was about 110 Mt, about the same as that in 2007. Germany 

was the leading producer in the EU, producing about 29 Mt, 

6.5% less than that in 2007. China continued to be the leading 

producer of pig iron in the world, producing more than 470 Mt, 

slightly less than that of 2007. Japan, Russia, Brazil, the United 

States, and the Republic of Korea followed with 86 Mt, 48 Mt, 

35 Mt, 34 Mt, and 31 Mt, respectively. The Republic of Korea’s 

production increased 5.5%. Russia and Ukraine were the only 

major pig iron producers in the Commonwealth of Independent 

States. In North America, the only major producer of pig iron 

was the United States, where production in 2008 decreased 

7.1% from that in 2007. In South America, the only major pig 

iron producer was Brazil. India’s production was 29 Mt, about 

the same as in 2007.

World capacity for DRI production was estimated to be 

about 72 Mt/yr in 2008 (Midrex Technologies, Inc., 2009). 

DRI production worldwide was about 66 Mt in 2008, slightly 

more than that in 2007 (table 9). The leading producer of DRI 

was India, followed by, in descending order of tonnage, Iran, 

Venezuela, and Mexico. In 2008, additional DRI capacity of 

almost 17 Mt/yr was under construction in Egypt, India, Iran, 

Oman, and Pakistan. The leading technology was the Midrex 

process, followed by the HYL I and the HYL III processes.

World production of raw steel was 1.33 Gt, slightly less than 

that in 2007 (table 10). Steel production declined during 2008 

in the CIS (7.7%), the EU (6.0%), North America (5.3%), and 

South America (1.6%). However, positive growth occurred in 

India (4.0%), the Republic of Korea (3.5%), and China (2.3%). 

China produced 38% of world total crude steel in 2008. As in 

previous years, production varied widely among major regions 

of the world. Asian countries produced about 58% of the 

world’s steel; the EU, 16%; North America, 9%; and the CIS, 

9%. During 2008, China was again the world’s leading steel 

producer, exceeding 500 Mt. In descending order of production, 

the leading producers after China were Japan, the United States, 

Russia, India, and the Republic of Korea. These six countries 

accounted for 66% of world production. The combined steel 

production of the seven steel-producing countries in the CIS was 

about 115 Mt, a decrease of 7.7% from that in 2007. Russia and 

Ukraine remained the leading producers in the CIS. U.S. steel 

production during 2008 was 91.9 Mt, a decrease of 6.3% from 

that in 2007. 

MEPS (International) Ltd. (Steel-grips Online, 2009) 

determined that the world steel capacity utilization was 87% 

during all of 2008. Steel capacity utilization in Asia, South 

America, North America, the EU, the CIS, the Middle East, 

and Africa in 2008 was 89%, 87%, 86%, 84%, 84%, 83%, and 

79%, respectively. MEPS estimated that at yearend 2008, world 

maximum steelmaking production potential was 1.52 Gt.

Outlook

The expansion or contraction of gross domestic product 

(GDP) may be considered a predictor of the health of the 

steelmaking and steel manufacturing industries, worldwide 

and domestically. In June 2008, the World Bank cut its 2008 

global GDP growth forecast to 2.7% from its earlier forecast of 

3.3% (Lazzaro, 2008). Its global GDP growth forecast for 2009 

and 2010 was 3.0% and 3.4%, respectively (World Bank, The, 

2008). As early as November 2007, the U.S. Federal Reserve 

System expected the U.S. economy to expand far more slowly 

in 2008 than previously predicted, and that there was a largerthan-usual uncertainty around the forecast, owing to weak 

housing market and turmoil in international credit markets 

(Kirchhoff, 2007). By June 2008, the World Bank forecasted the 

U.S. economy to grow by 1.1% in 2008 (Lazzaro, 2008). The 

U.S. Federal Reserve forecast a U.S. 2008 GDP growth rate of 

between 1.3% and 2.0% (Felsenthal, 2008). The U.S. Federal 

Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (2009) survey of 34 forecasters 

showed the economy contracting at a rate of 2.6% in 2009, 

but expansions in 2010, 2011, and 2012 of 2.3%, 2.9%, and 

3.2%, respectively. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) 

2009 forecast of GDP growth in the United States and Japan 

was 0.1% and 0.5%, respectively (Stecyk, 2008). EU and Japan 

2008 GDP growth rates were downgraded by the World Bank to 

1.7%, and 1.4%, respectively, from 2.8%, and 2.0% (Lazzaro, 

2008). The European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries 

(2009) projected EU GDP growth of 0.9% in 2008 and a decline 

of 4.5% in 2009. The World Bank GDP growth forecast for 

China was 7.2% in 2009 (Finfacts Ireland, 2009). 

According to MEPS forecast (2009), total world steel 

production in 2009 will be 12% below that in 2008. MEPS also 

forecast declining steel production in 2009 in the EU, South 

America, the CIS, Africa, and Asia, of 26%, 24%, 18%, 9%, and 

3%, respectively. World Steel Dynamics (WSD) forecast world 

crude steel production to decrease by 9% in 2009, and increase 

by 14%, 6%, and 5% in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively 

(Locker Associates, 2009). WSD also forecast crude steel 

production for China to decrease by 25% in 2009, and increase 

by 21%, 3%, and 2% in 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively.

According to the WSA (2009), the progression of the 

U.S. fi nancial downturn into a global economic downturn 

brought about a global decline of steel demand in late 2008. 

Improvement through 2009 would depend on the effects of 

government stimulation packages, stabilization of fi nancial 

systems, and a return of some consumer confi dence. 

World apparent steel consumption (ASC) was expected to 

decline by 8.6% to 1,100 Mt during 2009, after declining by 

1.4% in 2008, and then increase by 9.2% in 2010. China’s ASC 

was expected to increase by 19% to 526 Mt in 2009, and 5% 

in 2010. China was expected to account for 48% of world steel 

consumption. ACS in India was expected to increase by 9% 

and 12% in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The U.S. ASC was 

expected to decline by 39% in 2009, but increase by 18% in 

2010. The EU ASC was expected to decline by 33% in 2009 and 
37.4 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

increase by 12% in 2010. In Japan and the CIS, the 2009 ASC 

was expected to decrease by 31% each, and then increase by 

16% and 8%, respectively in 2010. The European Confederation 

of Iron and Steel Industries (2009) forecast declining apparent 

steel consumption in the EU by almost 45% during the fi rst half 

of 2009 and almost 30% during all of 2009. The outlook for the 

EU in 2010 showed little recovery.

References Cited

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developments and activities during April 2008, May 14: Washington, DC, 

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p. 2.

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IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.5

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

United States:

Pig iron:

Production2 42,300 37,200 37,900 36,300 33,700

Exports3 48 51 813 71 51

Imports for consumption3 6,400 6,030 6,730 5,220 4,980

Direct-reduced iron:

Production4 180 220 240 250 260

Exports3 13 -- (5) (5) (5)

Imports for consumption3 2,450 2,170 2,610 2,330 r 2,650 e

Raw steel production:6

Carbon steel 90,700 85,900 89,500 89,800 84,100

Stainless steel 2,400 2,240 2,460 2,170 1,930

All other alloy steel 6,560 6,710 6,190 6,140 5,810

Total 99,700 94,900 98,200 98,100 91,900

Capability utilization, percent 94.6 87.5 87.5 87.0 81.4

Steel mill products:

Net shipments2 101,000 95,200 99,300 96,500 89,400

Exports2 7,200 8,520 8,830 10,100 12,200

Imports2 32,500 29,100 41,100 30,200 29,000

Producer price index (1982=100.0)7 147.2 159.7 174.1 182.9 220.6

World production:8

Pig iron 720,000 802,000 881,000 r 954,000 r 932,000 e

Direct-reduced iron4 53,000 r 56,300 r 58,700 64,600 r 66,400 e

Raw steel 1,060,000 1,140,000 1,250,000 1,350,000 r 1,330,000

4

Data are from Midrex Technologies, Inc., government, and companies.

6

Raw steel is defined by AISI as steel in the first solid state after melting, suitable for rolling.

7

Data are from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

8

Data are from the U.S. Geological Survey and the World Steel Association.

5

Less than 1⁄2 unit. 

3

Data are from the U.S. Census Bureau.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except producers price index; may not add to totals shown.

2

Data are from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

TABLE 1

SALIENT IRON AND STEEL STATISTICS1

(Thousand metric tons)

e

Estimated. rRevised. -- Zero.
37.6 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

Material 2007 2008

Iron oxides:2

Ores -- --

Pellets 46,300 43,800

Sinter3 6,830 6,380

Total 53,100 50,100

Scrap4 2,780 r 2,660 e

Coke2 15,000 r 14,200

Pig iron, produced 36,300 33,700

 materials; also some nodules.

4

Mainly briquetted turnings and borings, shredded scrap, etc.; scrap produced at blast 

furnaces and remelt not included.

TABLE 2

MATERIALS CONSUMED IN BLAST FURNACES AND PIG IRON PRODUCED1

(Thousand metric tons)

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2

American Iron and Steel Institute.

3

Includes sintered ore and pellet fines, dust, mill scale, and other revert iron-bearing

e

Estimated. rRevised. -- Zero.
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.7

2007 2008 2007 2008

Shipments by steel type:

Carbon steel 90,500 83,400 93.78 93.29

Alloy steel 4,350 4,560 4.51 5.10

Stainless steel 1,700 1,380 1.76 1.54

Total 96,500 89,400 100.00 100.00

Steel mill products:

Ingots, blooms, billets and slabs 1,920 1,120 1.99 1.25

Wire rods 2,180 2,100 2.26 2.35

Structural shapes, heavy 6,890 6,040 7.14 6.76

Steel piling 551 462 0.57 0.52

Plates, cut lengths 6,730 6,730 6.97 7.53

Plates, in coils 3,720 3,170 3.85 3.55

Rails 800 854 0.83 0.96

Railroad accessories 192 247 0.20 0.28

Bars, hot-rolled 6,590 6,710 6.83 7.51

Bars, light-shaped 1,800 1,600 1.87 1.79

Bars, reinforcing 7,280 7,010 7.54 7.84

Bars, cold finished 1,320 1,490 1.37 1.67

Tool steel 16 16 0.02 0.02

Pipe and tubing, standard pipe 981 919 1.02 1.03

Pipe and tubing, oil country goods 1,940 2,170 2.01 2.43

Pipe and tubing, line pipe 573 432 0.59 0.48

Pipe and tubing, mechanical tubing 908 821 0.94 0.92

Pipe and tubing, pressure tubing 29 47 0.03 0.05

Pipe and tubing, stainless 13 13 0.01 0.01

Pipe and tubing, structural 135 112 0.14 0.13

Pipe for piling 12 14 0.01 0.02

Wire 350 564 0.36 0.63

Tin mill products, blackplate 127 202 0.13 0.23

Tin mill products, tinplate 1,770 1,610 1.83 1.80

Tin mill products, tin-free steel 508 526 0.53 0.59

Tin mill products, tin coated sheets 91 91 0.09 0.10

Sheets, hot-rolled 18,000 17,800 18.65 19.91

Sheets, cold-rolled 11,400 10,300 11.81 11.52

Sheets and strip, hot dip galvanized 13,800 11,600 14.30 12.98

Sheets and strip, electrogalvanized 2,320 1,500 2.40 1.68

Sheets and strip, other metallic coated 1,560 1,220 1.62 1.36

Sheets and strip, electrical 456 481 0.47 0.54

Strip, hot rolled 38 39 0.04 0.04

Strip, cold rolled 1,510 1,340 1.56 1.50

Total 96,500 89,400 100.00 100.00

Shipments by markets:

Service centers and distributors 24,000 23,100 24.87 25.84

Construction 21,600 18,500 22.38 20.69

Automotive 12,400 11,700 12.85 13.09

Machinery 1,270 1,040 1.32 1.16

Containers 2,640 2,560 2.74 2.86

All others 34,700 32,500 35.96 36.35

Total 96,500 89,400 100.00 100.00

TABLE 3

DISTRIBUTION OF SHIPMENTS OF STEEL MILL PRODUCTS, BY STEEL TYPE, PRODUCT, AND MARKET1

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.

Quantity

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits, except percentages; may not add to totals shown.

(thousand metric tons) Percentage
37.8 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

Country Imports Exports Imports Exports

Argentina 91 10 129 12

Australia 782 22 636 33

Brazil 2,080 107 1,200 318

Canada 6,110 5,710 6,430 6,290

China 4,180 155 4,380 263

European Union2 5,140 845 2,620 653

Germany 1,100 83 1,080 85

Japan 1,540 34 1,600 32

Korea, Republic of 1,820 70 2,090 92

Mexico 2,860 2,150 2,900 2,670

Russia 1,080 -- 1,020 --

South Africa 131 11 81 16

Sweden 276 7 255 10

Taiwan 999 20 600 56

Turkey 521 -- 750 --

Ukraine 1,130 -- 1,260 --

Venezuela 149 87 38 118

Other 171 807 1,900 1,570

Total 30,200 10,100 29,000 12,200

-- Zero.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.

2007 2008

TABLE 4

U.S. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF STEEL MILL PRODUCTS, BY COUNTRY1

(Thousand metric tons)

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2

Excludes Germany and Sweden.
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.9

2007 2008

Steel mill products:

Ingots, blooms, billets, slabs 383 517

Wire rods 95 139

Structural shapes, heavy 990 1,140

Steel piling 36 44

Plates, cut lengths 1,150 1,350

Plates, in coils 537 1,020

Rails, standard 107 86

Rails, other 24 31

Railroad accessories 39 60

Bars, hot-rolled 540 722

Bars, light-shaped 84 136

Bars, concrete reinforcing 304 629

Bars, cold-finished 175 190

Tool steel 16 18

Pipe and tubing, standard pipe 136 193

Pipe and tubing, oil country goods 340 419

Pipe and tubing, line pipe 226 382

Pipe and tubing, mechanical tubing 36 49

Pipe and tubing, stainless 46 44

Pipe and tubing, nonclassified 393 438

Pipe and tubing, structural 189 197

Pipe for piling 46 66

Wire 175 199

Tin mill products, blackplate 4 5

Tin mill products, tinplate 191 241

Tin mill products, tin-free steel 22 24

Sheets, hot-rolled 1,010 958

Sheets, cold-rolled 695 788

Sheets and strip, hot-dip galvanized 916 896

Sheets and strip, electrogalvanized 240 279

Sheets and strip, other metallic coated 230 296

Sheets and strip, electrical 167 278

Strip, hot-rolled 252 205

Strip, cold-rolled 323 190

Total 10,100 12,200

Fabricated steel products:

Structural shapes, fabricated 431 529

Rails, used 33 51

Railroad products 59 100

Wire rope 18 21

Wire, stranded products 37 43

Wire, other products 86 88

Springs 134 129

Nails and staples 35 37

Fasteners 465 625

Chains and parts 27 34

Grinding balls 59 92

Pipe and tube fittings 36 42

Other2 150 112

Total 1,570 1,900

Grand total 11,700 14,100

TABLE 5

U.S. EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS1

(Thousand metric tons)

See footnotes at end of table.
37.10 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

2007 2008

Cast iron and steel products:

Cast steel pipe fittings 37 46

Cast iron pipe and fittings 74 120

Cast steel rolls 3 4

Cast grinding balls 11 r 18

Granules, shot and grit 27 r 34

Other castings 63 82

Total 215 r 304

r

Revised.

(Thousand metric tons)

ornamental work, and conduit.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

2

Includes shapes cold formed, sashes and frames, fence and sign post, architectural and 

TABLE 5—Continued

U.S. EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS1
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.11

2007 2008

Steel mill products:

Ingots, blooms, billets, and slabs 6,040 5,420

Wire rods 1,400 1,120

Structural shapes-heavy 771 655

Steel piling 100 95

Plates, cut lengths 1,290 1,120

Plates, in coils 939 1,100

Rails and railroad accessories 371 305

Bars, hot-rolled 1,200 1,350

Bars, light-shaped 217 151

Bars, reinforcing 1,690 881

Bars, cold-finished 313 283

Tool steel 145 148

Pipe and tubing, standard pipe 1,290 1,070

Pipe and tubing, oil country goods 1,760 3,610

Pipe and tubing, line pipe 2,710 2,920

Pipe and tubing, mechanical tubing 643 551

Pipe and tubing, pressure tubing 110 128

Pipe and tubing, stainless 155 127

Pipe and tubing, nonclassified 21 15

Pipe and tubing, structural 615 442

Pipe for piling 37 17

Wire 732 643

Tin mill products-blackplate 44 21

Tin mill products-tinplate 471 291

Tin mill products-tin-free steel 111 96

Sheets, hot-rolled 2,430 2,510

Sheets, cold-rolled 1,630 1,310

Sheets and strip, hot-dip galvanized 1,820 1,650

Sheets and strip, electrogalvanized 181 170

Sheets and strip, other metallic coated 549 455

Sheets and strip, electrical 100 110

Strip, hot-rolled 82 44

Strip, cold-rolled 180 158

Total 30,200 29,000

Fabricated steel products:

Structural shapes, fabricated 1,360 1,440

Rails, used 83 73

Railroad products 210 350

Wire rope 138 141

Wire-stranded products 323 329

Springs 423 310

Nails and staples 782 589

Fasteners 1,360 1,330

Chains and parts 158 150

Pipe and tube fittings 294 307

Other 635 518

Total 5,760 5,530

Grand total 35,900 r 34,500

See footnotes at end of table.

TABLE 6

U.S. IMPORTS OF MAJOR IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS1

(Thousand metric tons)
37.12 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

2007 2008

Cast iron and steel products:

Cast steel pipe fittings 293 307

Cast iron pipe and fittings 81 71

Other products 407 399

Total 781 777

r

Revised.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.

TABLE 6—Continued

U.S. IMPORTS OF MAJOR IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS1

(Thousand metric tons)

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.

 Product 2007 2008

Semifinished 131,000 124,000

Plate 137,000 84,800

Sheet and strip 57,600 72,100

Bars and shapes 117,000 116,000

Wire and wire rods 68,900 62,400

Pipe and tube 159,000 127,000

Total 669,000 586,000

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; 

may not add to totals shown.

TABLE 7

U.S. IMPORTS OF STAINLESS STEEL1

(Metric tons)

2007 2008

Coal, consumption 20,600 20,000

Coke:3

Production 14,700 14,200

Exports 1,310 1,780

Imports 2,230 3,270

Consumption, apparent 15,700 15,400

Source: Energy Information Administration, Quarterly Coal Report, 

DOE/EIA–0121(2009/01Q).

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits.

2

Includes furnace and merchant coke plants.

3

Coke production and consumption do not include breeze.

TABLE 8

COAL AND COKE AT COKE PLANTS1, 2

(Thousand metric tons)
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.13

 Country5 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008e

Algeria 994 952 e 1,093 r 1,193 r 690

Argentina:

 Pig iron 2,392 2,646 2,481 2,593 2,500

 Direct-reduced iron 1,755 1,823 1,947 1,810 2,000

Australia 5,735 6,203 6,276 6,351 r 6,100

Austriae 4,847 5,444 5,547 5,808 r 5,815 6

Belgium 8,224 7,254 7,516 6,576 6,500

Bosnia and Herzegovinae 60 60 60 60 243 6

Brazil:

 Pig iron 34,558 r 33,884 r 32,452 r 35,571 r 34,969 6

 Direct-reduced irone 440 411 376 r 362 r 302

Bulgaria 1,158 1,081 1,147 1,069 441 6

Burma:e

 Pig iron 2 r 2 r 2 r 2 r 2

 Direct-reduced iron 40 40 40 40 40

Canada:

 Pig iron 8,828 8,274 8,305 8,577 9,000

 Direct-reduced iron 1,091 591 446 910 690

Chile 1,137 1,074 1,115 1,147 r 1,150

China7 251,850 343,750 412,450 476,520 r 470,670 6

Colombia 316 325 351 r 350 325

Czech Republic 5,385 r 4,627 5,191 5,289 r 4,737 6

Egypt:

 Pig iron 1,000 1,100 1,100 1,000 1,000

 Direct-reduced irone 3,020 r 2,900 r 3,100 r 2,786 r, 6 3,000

Finland 3,037 3,056 3,158 2,914 2,900

France 13,198 12,705 13,013 12,426 12,400

Germany:

 Pig iron 30,018 28,854 30,360 31,149 r 29,111 6

 Direct-reduced irone 593 440 580 590 500

Hungary 1,351 1,329 1,335 1,394 1,289 6

India:

 Pig iron 25,117 27,125 28,300 28,800 29,000

 Direct-reduced iron 9,370 12,040 14,740 18,100 20,200

Indonesia, direct-reduced irone 1,470 1,390 1,290 6 1,400 1,300

Iran:

 Pig iron 2,136 2,300 2,041 2,118 2,200

 Direct-reduced irone 6,410 6,850 6,850 7,440 r 7,460

Italy 10,664 11,423 11,535 11,100 11,100

Japan 82,974 83,058 84,270 86,771 86,171 6

Kazakhstan 4,283 3,581 3,400 3,240 2,761 6

Korea, Northe 900 900 6 900 900 900

Korea, Republic of 27,556 27,309 27,559 29,437 31,043 6

Libya, direct-reduced iron 1,580 e 1,669 r 1,633 r 1,660 r 1,569 6

Malaysia, direct-reduced iron 1,710 1,349 1,277 r 1,840 1,940

Mexico:

 Pig iron 4,278 4,278 3,800 4,077 4,450 p

 Direct-reduced iron 5,473 5,973 6,167 6,265 r 6,012 p, 6

Moroccoe 15 15 15 15 15

Netherlands8 5,846 6,031 5,417 5,500 5,500

New Zealande 650 652 664 679 600

Nigeria -- -- 150 200 r --

 TABLE 9

PIG IRON AND DIRECT-REDUCED IRON: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3, 4

(Thousand metric tons)

See footnotes at end of table.
37.14 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

 Country5 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008e

Norwaye 100 100 100 100 100

Pakistane 1,500 1,500 1,200 1,000 1,000

Paraguay 119 124 136 137 120

Peru:e

 Pig iron 286 263 306 351 6 395 6

 Direct-reduced iron 81 r 78 r 84 r 90 r 72

Poland 6,399 4,477 5,333 5,804 4,934 6

Portugale 100 100 100 100 100

Qatar, direct-reduced iron 830 e 820 880 1,200 1,700

Romania 4,244 4,098 3,946 3,923 3,000

Russia:

 Pig iron 50,427 49,175 51,683 51,523 48,300 6

 Direct-reduced irone 3,140 3,340 3,340 4,000 4,000

Saudi Arabia, direct-reduced iron 3,141 3,630 e 3,580 4,340 r 4,970 6

Serbia 959 9 1,115 9 1,529 1,485 1,582 6

Slovakia 3,765 3,618 4,145 4,012 3,529 6

South Africa:

 Pig iron 6,011 6,130 6,159 5,358 5,358 6

 Direct-reduced iron 1,633 1,781 1,754 1,736 1,190 6

Spain 4,036 4,160 3,432 3,974 3,995 6

Sweden 3,871 3,730 3,577 3,815 3,800

Taiwan 10,198 9,854 10,500 10,550 9,800

Trinidad and Tobago, direct-reduced iron 2,337 2,055 2,000 2,000 2,050

Turkey 5,836 5,970 5,952 6,234 6,600

Ukraine 31,000 30,747 32,926 35,647 30,982 6

United Kingdom 10,180 10,236 10,736 10,960 r 11,000

United States:

 Pig iron 42,300 37,200 37,900 36,300 33,700 6

 Direct-reduced iron 180 220 240 250 260 6

Venezuela, direct-reduced iron 7,825 r 8,897 r 8,400 7,782 r 7,140

Zimbabwee 125 129 38 -- r --

 Grand total 773,000 858,000 939,000 r 1,020,000 r 998,000

 Of which:

 Pig iron10 720,000 802,000 881,000 r 954,000 r 932,000

 Direct-reduced iron11 53,000 r 56,300 r 58,700 64,600 r 66,400

10Includes uspecified pig iron and direct-reduced iron.

11Listed separately.

5

In addition to the countries listed, Vietnam has facilities to produce pig iron and may have produced limited quantities during

TABLE 9—Continued

PIG IRON AND DIRECT-REDUCED IRON: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3, 4

(Thousand metric tons)

2004–08, but output is not reported and available information is inadequate to make reliable estimates of output levels.

6

Reported figure.

7

Figures reported by State Statistical Bureau that the Government of China considers to be official statistical data.

8

Includes blast furnace ferroalloys.

9

Montenegro and Serbia formally declared independence in June 2006 from each other and dissolved their union.

e

Estimated. pPreliminary. rRevised. -- Zero. 1

World totals, U.S. data, and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 

2

Production is pig iron unless otherwise specified.

3

Direct-reduced iron is obtained from ore by reduction of oxides to metal without melting.

4

Table excludes ferroalloy production except where otherwise noted. Table includes data available through August 21, 2009.
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.15

Country4 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Albania 120 r 180 r 206 r 263 r 300 e

Algeria 1,014 1,007 1,158 1,278 646

Argentina 5,133 5,386 5,533 5,387 5,400 e

Australia 8,353 7,788 7,937 8,047 7,777

Austria 6,530 7,031 7,129 r 7,578 r 7,630

Azerbaijan 90 286 54 273 300 e

Bangladeshe, 5 25 20 10 r -- 6 --

Belarus 1,900 2,076 2,100 2,214 2,660

Belgium 11,698 8,906 11,238 10,692 r 10,860

Bosnia and Herzegovina, ingot production 117 283 469 514 r 588

Brazil7 32,918 31,631 30,901 r 33,782 r 33,713

Bulgaria 2,106 1,969 2,124 1,909 r 1,330

Burmae 25 25 25 25 25

Canada 16,305 15,327 15,493 15,569 15,100 e

Chile7 1,579 1,536 1,627 1,679 r 1,560 e

China8 272,450 353,240 419,150 489,290 r 500,490

Colombia 730 e 842 1,221 1,260 1,200 e

Croatia 80 74 81 76 r 85 e

Cuba 193 245 257 262 r 274

Czech Republic 7,033 6,189 6,862 7,059 6,386

Ecuador 72 84 85 87 85 e

Egypt 4,810 r 5,603 r 6,045 r 6,224 r 6,198

El Salvador 59 48 72 73 72 e

Ethiopia, all from scrape 30 60 60 110 150

Finland 4,833 4,738 5,052 4,431 r 5,000 e

France 20,770 19,481 19,857 19,252 17,874

Germany 46,374 44,524 47,224 48,550 45,833

Ghana, all from scrape 25 25 25 25 25

Greece 1,967 2,266 2,416 2,554 r 2,400 e

Guatemala 232 207 292 349 300 e

Hong Konge 500 500 550 550 550

Hungary 1,944 r 2,005 r 2,144 r 2,317 r 2,096

India 32,600 45,800 49,500 53,100 55,200

Indonesia 3,682 r 3,675 3,759 r 3,900 3,600

Iran 8,682 9,405 9,789 r 10,051 r 9,960 e

Israele 370 480 480 480 480

Italy 28,317 29,061 31,550 31,990 30,477

Japan 112,718 112,471 116,266 120,203 118,739

Jordane 140 6 150 150 150 150

Kazakhstan 5,372 4,477 4,245 4,784 4,286

Korea, Northe 1,070 1,070 1,180 1,230 1,279 6

Korea, Republic of 47,521 47,820 48,455 51,517 53,322

Latviae 554 6 550 550 550 550

Libya 1,026 1,255 r 1,151 1,151 r 1,137

Luxembourg 2,684 2,194 2,802 2,800 e 2,640

Macedonia 314 r 326 r 360 r 372 r 370 e

Malaysia 5,698 5,296 5,834 6,895 r 6,500 e

Mauritania 5 e 1 11 r 2

Mexico 16,737 16,202 16,313 17,573 r 17,230 p

Moldova 1,013 1,016 675 995 885

TABLE 10

RAW STEEL: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3

(Thousand metric tons)

See footnotes at end of table.
37.16 [ADVANCE RELEASE] U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2008

Country4 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Montenegro 151 r, 9, 10 104 r, 9, 10 163 r 174 r 175 e

Morocco 5 e 205 314 314 310

Netherlands 6,848 6,919 6,372 6,400 e 6,880

New Zealand 850 889 862 845 853 e

Norwaye 695 701 679 680 680

Pakistan 1,145 825 1,040 1,090 1,100

Paraguay 107 101 115 95 r 85 e

Peru 725 790 896 881 r 1,150 e

Philippines 550 r 470 558 718 r 800 e

Poland 10,578 8,336 9,992 10,621 r 9,727

Portugal 730 1,400 1,400 1,400 e 1,400 e

Qatar 1,089 1,057 1,003 1,147 1,406

Romania 6,077 5,632 6,266 6,261 5,035

Russia 65,646 66,186 70,816 72,389 68,700

Saudi Arabia 3,902 4,185 3,974 4,644 r 4,670 e

Serbia 1,167 r, 9, 10 1,286 r, 9, 10 1,837 1,478 r 1,662

Serbia and Montenegro -- r, 9, 10 -- r, 9, 10 -- r -- r --

Singaporee 610 572 607 620 600

Slovakia 4,564 4,242 4,848 4,800 4,800 e

Slovenia 566 583 627 638 670

South Africa 9,500 9,494 9,718 9,098 r 8,550

Spain 17,621 r 17,826 r 18,391 r 18,999 r 19,048

Sri Lankae 30 30 30 30 30

Sweden 5,949 5,692 5,435 5,673 r 5,500 e

Switzerland 1,000 e 1,158 1,252 1,264 1,260

Syriae 70 70 70 70 63 6

Taiwan 19,604 18,567 19,203 20,883 r 19,222

Thailand 4,533 5,161 5,210 5,470 5,470 e

Trinidad and Tobago 815 711 674 682 r 675 e

Tunisia 70 66 68 61 80

Turkey 20,478 20,960 23,308 25,750 26,400 e

Uganda 30 30 30 30 30

Ukraine 38,740 38,636 40,899 42,830 37,107

United Arab Emiratese 70 70 70 90 90

United Kingdom 13,766 13,210 13,931 14,300 13,538

United States 99,700 94,900 98,200 98,100 91,900

Uruguay 58 64 57 71 85 e

Uzbekistane 602 6 607 6 730 740 680

Venezuela 4,561 r 4,907 4,864 r 5,005 r 4,240 e

Vietnam 689 890 1,860 r 2,024 r 2,020 e

Zimbabwe 135 107 24 23 10 e

 Total 1,060,000 r 1,140,000 r 1,250,000 r 1,350,000 r 1,330,000

TABLE 10—Continued

RAW STEEL: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3

(Thousand metric tons)

e

Estimated. pPreliminary. rRevised. -- Zero. 1

World totals, U.S. data, and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 

2

Steel formed in solid state after melting, suitable for further processing or sale; for some countries, includes material reported 

as “liquid steel,” presumably measured in the molten state prior to cooling in any specific form.

3

Table includes data available through August 25, 2009.
IRON AND STEEL—2008 [ADVANCE RELEASE] 37.17

4

In addition to the countries listed, Mozambique is known to have steelmaking plants, but available information is inadequate 

TABLE 10—Continued

RAW STEEL: WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3

10Production is reported individually now.

to make reliable estimates of output levels.

5

Data for year ending June 30 of that stated.

6

Reported figure.

7

Excludes castings.

8

Figures reported by the State Statistical Bureau that the Government of China considers as official statistical data.

9

Montenegro and Serbia formally declared independence from each other in June 2006 and dissolved their union.