De Guzman, Jerwin D.

Reyes, Hazel Marie J.

Summary of Report
IRON AND STEEL PROCESSING
Iron is an element while steel is an alloy comprising of iron and carbon.

History of Iron and Steel production

The production of iron by humans began probably sometime after 2000 BCE in southwest or south-central Asia, perhaps in the Caucasus region. Thus began the Iron Age,
when iron replaced bronze in implements and weapons. This shift occurred because iron
when alloyed with a bit of carbon is harder, more durable, and holds a sharper edge than
bronze. For over three thousand years, until replaced by steel after CE 1870, iron formed
the material basis of human civilization in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Ironmaking -iron is reduced from its ores
Steelmaking iron is then refined to obtain desired purity
and composition (alloying)
The principal ore used in the production of iron and steel is hematite (Fe2O3)
Other iron ores include magnetite (Fe3O4), siderite (FeCO3), and limonite (Fe2O3xH2O, where x is typically around 1.5)
Iron ores contain from 50% to around 70% iron, depending on grade (hematite is almost
70% iron) Scrap iron and steel are also widely used today as raw materials in iron-and
steel making

Other Raw Materials in Iron-making

Coke(C) Supplies heat for chemical reactions and produces carbon monoxide (CO) to
reduce iron ore
Limestone(CaCO3) Used as a flux to react with and remove impurities in molten iron
as slag
Hot gases(CO, H2, CO2, H2O, N2, O2, and fuels)
Used to burn coke

Steel is an alloy of iron containing from 0.02% and 2.11% carbon by weight
Often includes other alloying elements: nickel, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum
Steel alloys can be grouped into four categories:
1.Plain carbon steels
2.Low alloy steels

3.Stainless steels
4.Tool steels

Steel production
When iron is smelted from its ore by commercial processes, it contains more carbon
than is desirable. To become steel, it must be melted and reprocessed to reduce the carbon
to the correct amount, at which point other elements can be added. This liquid is then
continuously cast into long slabs or cast into ingots. Approximately 96% of steel is
continuously cast, while only 4% is produced as ingots.
The ingots are then heated in a soaking pit and hot rolled into slabs, blooms, or
billets. Slabs are hot or cold rolled into sheet metal or plates. Billets are hot or cold rolled
into bars, rods, and wire. Blooms are hot or cold rolled into structural steel, such as Ibeams and rails. In modern steel mills these processes often occur in one assembly line,
with ore coming in and finished steel coming out.
Casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of
the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also
known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process
An ingot is a material, usually metal, that is cast into a shape suitable for further
processing. Non-metallic and semiconductor materials prepared in bulk form may also be
referred to as ingots, particularly when cast by mold based methods.
Primary steelmaking
Primary steelmaking involves converting liquid iron from a blast furnace and steel scrap
into steel via basic oxygen steelmaking or melting scrap steel and/or direct reduced iron
(DRI) in an electric arc furnace.
Secondary steelmaking
Secondary steelmaking involves refining of the crude steel before casting and the various
operations are normally carried out in ladles. In secondary metallurgy, alloying agents are
added, dissolved gases in the steel are lowered, inclusions are removed or altered
chemically to ensure that high-quality steel is produced after casting.

Steel industry
In 1980, there were more than 500,000 U.S. steelworkers. By 2000, the number of
steelworkers fell to 224,000.The economic boom in China and India has caused a massive
increase in the demand for steel in recent years. Between 2000 and 2005, world steel
demand increased by 6%. Since 2000, several Indian and Chinese steel firms have risen
to prominence like Tata Steel (which bought Corus Group in 2007), Shanghai Baosteel
Group Corporation and Shagang Group. ArcelorMittal is however the world's largest steel
producer.

In 2005, the British Geological Survey stated China was the top steel producer with about
one-third of the world share; Japan, Russia, and the US followed respectively.
In 2008, steel began trading as a commodity on the London Metal Exchange. At the end
of 2008, the steel industry faced a sharp downturn that led to many cut-backs.
The world steel industry peaked in 2007. That year, ThyssenKrupp spent $12 billion to
build the two most modern mills in the world, in Calvert, Alabama and Sepetiba, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. The worldwide Great Recession starting in 2008, however, sharply
lowered demand and new construction, and so prices fell. ThyssenKrupp lost $11 billion
on its two new plants, which sold steel below the cost of production. Finally in 2013,
ThyssenKrupp offered the plants for sale at under $4 billion.

Worlds largest steel producer

ArcelorMittal is the worlds leading steel company, with an annual production capacity of
around 119 million tonnes
ArcelorMittal is the successor to Mittal Steel, a business originally set up in 1976 by
Mr. Lakshmi N. Mittal and also the owner of arcelormittal
operations in more than 60 countries, steelmaking facilities in more than 20 countries,
and are the leader in all the main steel markets.
ArcelorMittals long business produces billets, blooms, rebars, wire rod, sections, rails,
sheet piles and drawn wires, as well as supplying both seamless and welded tubular
products.

ArcelorMittal timeline:
1976
Mr Lakshmi N Mittal establishes PT Ispat Indo (as greenfield steel project) in Indonesia.
1989
The company, as Caribbean Ispat, operates Iron and Steel Company of Trinidad and
Tobago (Iscott).
1994
Caribbean Ispat exercises its option to acquire Iscott.
1995
Ispat International Ltd and Ispat Shipping are set up in the UK
2012
ArcelorMittal sells 25% of its 75% stake of Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation and
becomes equal partners with Nunavut Iron Ore.
2013
ArcelorMittal enters into a 50/50 joint venture partnership with Nippon Steel &
Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) to acquire 100% of ThyssenKrupp Steel USA
(TK Steel USA) from ThyssenKrupp for an agreed price of US$1,550 million. The
steel processing plant is situated in Calvert, Alabama, with a total capacity of 5.3 million

tonnes including hot rolling, cold rolling, coating and finishing lines.

Uses of steel
Iron and steel are used widely in the construction of roads, railways, other infrastructure,
appliances, and buildings. Most large modern structures, such as stadiums and
skyscrapers,bridges, and airports, are supported by a steel skeleton. Even those with a
concrete structure employ steel for reinforcing. In addition, it sees widespread use in
major
Other common applications include shipbuilding, pipelines, mining, offshore
construction,aerospace, white goods (e.g. washing machines), heavy equipment such as
bulldozers, office furniture, steel wool, tools, and armour in the form of personal vests or
vehicle armour (better known as rolled homogeneous armour in this role).

Environmental and Public Health Issues

Air Pollutants
Air pollutants from iron- and steel-making operations have historically been an
environmental concern. These pollutants include gaseous substances such as sulphur
dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide.
Sulphur dioxide
a potent acid rain maker. Acid rain damages forests and crops, changes the makeup of
soil, and makes lakes and streams acidic and unsuitable for fish. Continued exposure over
a long time changes the natural variety of plants and animals in an ecosystem. Moreover,
sulfur dioxide is associated with increased risk of respiratory diseases, asthma, and
premature death.
Nitrogen oxide
Nitrogen oxides in the air can significantly contribute to a number of environmental
effects such as acid rain and eutrophication in coastal waters .
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide affects the environment in several ways. First, it elevates the amount
of methane in the atmosphere and then oxidizes into carbon dioxide. This eventually
leads to global warming
Waste Water Contaminants
Steel works discharge large volumes of water to lakes, rivers and streams, with
additional volumes being vaporized while cooling coke or steel. Contaminants include
suspended solids, heavy metals and oils and greases
Suspended solids
Suspended solids (SS) are the main waterborne pollutants discharged during steel
production. They comprise mainly iron oxides from scale formation during processing;
coal, biological sludge, metallic hydroxides and other solids may also be present. Their

presence at higher levels may lead to discolouration of streams, de-oxygenation and

silting.
Heavy metals
Steel-making process water may contain high levels of zinc and manganese, while
discharges from cold-rolling and coatings areas may contain zinc, cadmium, aluminium,
copper and chromium. These metals are naturally present in the aquatic environment; it is
their presence at higher than usual concentrations that creates concern about potential
effects on humans and the ecosystems.
Oils and greases
Oils and greases may be present in waste water in both soluble and insoluble forms.
Most heavy oils and greases are insoluble and are relatively easily removed.In addition to
the question of toxicity, the biological and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD) of
oils and other organic compounds can decrease the oxygen content of the water, thus
affecting the viability of aquatic life.