Sponge iron is used in steel manufacturing as a substitute to scrap steel.
It is also used as a substitute for pig iron, which uses coking coal for manufacturing, prices of which fluctuate due to supplydisruptions in Australia.
Thus sponge iron, pig iron, scrap, ingot and billet or the semis are an integral part of the whole process of steel making.
The Indian steel industry is structured in between three broad categories based on route wise production viz. BFBOF, EAF and IF. BF-BOF route producers have large integrated steel making facilities which utilize iron ore and coking coal for production of steel.
Unlike other large steel producers, the Indian steel industry is also characterized by the presence of a large number of small steel producers who utilize sponge iron, melting scrap and non-coking coal (EAF/IF route) for steelmaking. As on March 2016, there were 308 sponge iron producers that use iron ore/ pellets and non-coking coal/gas providing feedstock for steel production; 47 electric arc furnaces & 1128 induction furnaces that use sponge iron and/or melting scrap to produce semi-finished steel and 1392 re-rollers that rolls out semi-finished steel into finished steel products for consumer end use.
Thus demand for pig iron for merchant use, such as for castings and supplementary metallic in the electric arc or induction furnaces, is projected to increase to 17 million tons by 2030-31. Similarly, demand for sponge iron is projected to increase to 80 million tons by 2030-31. It is projected that the sponge iron capacity may increase to 114 million tons by 2030-31 with around 30 percent share of gas based capacities under increased environmental considerations and long term availability of gas.
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Steel's Net Zero mission
The countryâs commitment to achieving Net Zero within a targeted timeframe will now propel its steel sector towards a sustainable future in line with global trends.
Fuel Price Hike, Supply Chain Disruption Hurt Festive Sales
Supply chain disruptions and fuel price hikes have hurt festive sales in a big way as most auto majors posted decline in sales in October.
Seaborne coking coal offers remain range-bound
Seaborne coking coal offers moved in a narrow range in October amid global supply tightness and healthy spot demand.
Global crude steel output down 8% in September
China manufactured 74 mt in September, fall of 21% y-o-y while Indiaâs production went up by 7% to 10 mt.
MOIL embarks on expansion projects
âEven though our country is blessed with manganese ore reserves, we import 50% of the domestic requirement. We have to lower our import dependence and save precious foreign exchange.â Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, Steel Minister
Iron ore handled by major ports down 17% in H1
The 12 major Indian ports handled 27 mt of iron-ore during H1 of 2021, down by 17% from 33 mt recorded for the corresponding period of previous year.
Shrinking China output to boost India exports
âIn the third quarter of 2021, the company actively responded to the pressure from external policies, such as production curtailment and dual control system on energy consumption and intensity, as well as coal resource shortage and surging prices.â Baoshan Iron and Steel Co Ltd
Indian Railways' iron-ore handling up 25% in H1
Indian Railways in April-September of 2021 (H1) transported 84 mt of iron ore, up by 25% over 67 mt during April-September 2020.
September crude steel production up 7.2% y-o-y
Indiaâs crude steel production in September 2021 grew 7.2 percent to 9.547 million tons (mt) over September 2020 but was down by 3.2 percent from August 2021 output, provisional steel ministry data showed.
âFive enablers: way forward to sustainable cleaner steelâ
Right and scalable technology, appropriate policy guidance by government, access to finance to fund transition, willingness of customers to pay for cleaner products and infrastructure for use of new technologies are the need of the hour for the sustainable and cleaner steel industry, according to Madhulika Sharma, Chief Corporate Sustainability, Tata Steel.