Global Mining Industry: Steel production flat in September Worldwide

Global crude steel output in September, at 134.4-million tonnes, was marginally lower than the 134.5-million tonnes produced in September 2013. According to the World Steel Association (worldsteel), China produced 67.5-million tonnes of crude steel in September, similar to that produced in September 2013.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.5-million tonnes of crude steel – a 3% year-on-year drop – while output fell 0.5% and 12.8% year-on-year to 1.4-million tonnes and 1.2-million tonnes in France and Spain respectively.

Italy’s crude steel production, however, increased 0.7% to 2.2-million tonnes in September.

In the US, crude steel output fell 0.1% year-on-year to 7.3-million tonnes, while output in Brazil was down 3.8% year-on-year to 2.9-million tonnes.

Africa’s overall output declined 10.8% year-on-year to 1.17-million tonnes, owing mainly to South Africa’s output dropping 3.1% year-on-year to 600 000 t and Egypt’s output declining 23.8% to 451 000 t. Lower output was also recorded in Morocco, but increases were achieved in Algeria and Libya.

Meanwhile, worldsteel reported that the crude steel capacity utilisation ratio was 76.1% in September, 2.6 percentage points lower than September 2013, but 1.9 percentage points higher than August.(Edited by: Chanel de Bruyn from Miningweekly)