Check out this week’s Steel Data Room featured dataset, “World Mineral Production from 1970”. The data from British Geological Survey can be expertly analyzed in the Steel Data Room, including production of key steelmaking raw materials such as iron ore, coal and zinc, with data by country from 1970 to 2018.
The image below is static, but if you sign in for a free Steel Data Room trial, the dynamic ranking chart will illustrate how the top 10 iron ore producing countries have changed since 1980.
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 93.4 million metric tonnes in July, 9.1% higher than in July 2019. Chinese production in the first seven months of 2020 was 3.3% higher than in the same period last year.
Data from the General Administration of Customs show Chinese net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in July were 1.6 million tonnes, 66.8% lower than in July 2019. Net exports in the first seven months of 2020 were 31.2% lower than in the same period last year.
China monthly crude steel production
Thousand metric tonnes
Terminal 3 Station at Beijing Capital International Airport, 2009, from Wikimedia Commons by 颐园新居 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Worldsteel published July world crude steel production today. World steel output was 152.7 million metric tonnes, 2.5% lower than in July 2019. Crude steel production in the first seven months of 2020 was 5.0% lower than in the same period last year.
China accounted for 61% of world production in July. Chinese production was 93.4 million tonnes, 9.1% higher than in July 2019. Asian output outside of China fell 18.1%, due mainly to a 24.6% drop in India and a 27.9% decline in Japan.
European Union crude steel production fell 24.4% on last July with countries showing the largest volume declines including Germany (-24.7%), Italy (-11.2%), France (-34.5%) and Poland (-21.8%). In North America, US production fell 29.4%, while Canadian output dropped 24.5% and Mexican output was down 22.6%. Other significant changes worldwide include a 7.4% increase in Turkey and a 14.4% rise in Iran.
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports fell 6% from 279,000 short tons in July 2019 to 261,000 tons in July this year. The decline was mainly due to lower wire rod licenses from Brazil and Japan, but was partially offset by higher rebar licenses from Turkey.
Based on January to June imports and July import licenses, long products imports so far this year were 18% lower than in the same period last year with the largest import volume declines coming from wire rod (-35%) and parallel flange sections (-42%).
SIMA US long products import licenses
January 2014 to July 2020
Short tons
Wire rod production at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih from Wikimedia Commons by ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports fell 20% from 666,000 short tons in July 2019 to 534,000 tons in July this year. Hot rolled import licenses fell by the largest volume on last year’s actuals (-75,000 tons), followed by cut plate imports (-36,000 tons).
Based on January to June imports and July import licenses, US flat products imports in the first seven months of 2020 were 20% lower than in the same period last year with cut plate imports down 46%, cold rolled imports down 21%, hot rolled imports down 20%, and hot dip galvanized imports down 14%.
SIMA US flat products import licenses
January 2014 to July 2020
Short tons
Sheet steel being cold rolled at HBIS Tangsteel from Worldsteel Image Library by HBIS Group Co. Ltd.
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China of 91.6 million metric tonnes in June, 4.5% higher than in June 2019. Chinese production in the first six months of 2020 was 2.2% higher than in the same period last year.
Data from the General Administration of Customs show Chinese net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in June were 1.8 million tonnes, 58.2% lower than in June 2019. Net exports in the first six months of 2020 were 25.3% lower than in the same period last year.
China monthly crude steel production
Thousand metric tonnes
Three Gorges Dam (Hubei Province, China) under construction, 2002, from Wikimedia Commons by lienyuan lee / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)
