The steelmaking process
'Click on the stars for more information'
Input raw materials
The range of input values differ according to route
Iron ore
Limestone
Coal
Scrap
Alternative fuels
Natural gas
Raw materials preparation
Ironmaking
Steelmaking
Two main routes
Now that the steel has been made, it is cast into three semi-finished shapes.
Semi-finished products
Slabs
Billets
Blooms
These three main products are then hot-rolled into a wide range of flat and long products.
Hot-rolled products
Flat Products
Plate
Coils
Long Products
Rebar
Bars
Wire rods
Welded/seamless tubes
Structural shapes
Rails
Finishing operations
Painting
Metal coating
Cold rolling
OUTPUT PRODUCTS
There is also a wide range of valuable co-products from the steelmaking process which are sold to other industries.
Co-products and their uses
Slag
Cement for road construction
Fertilisers and soil improvement
Paving stones for hydraulic engineering
Sea forestation
Dust and sludge
Internal and external use of iron and alloying elements
Chemicals
Use as input material for the chemical industry
Emulsions and used oils
Internal use as reducing agents
Process gases
Heat and electricity
Carbon capture and utilisation
Steel applications
Wind turbines
Packaging
Motor vehicles
Bridges
White goods
Rail tracks and trains
Pipes
Buildings and factories
Ships and containers
Machinery
Medical equipment
Metal products
Solar panels
Furniture
Electrical steels
Please note: This diagram aims to show steelmaking today. This diagram does not feature the new input materials and processes that are being developed and will dramatically change how we make steel in the next 30 years as we transition to the low carbon economy.
