We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Materials

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are the Different Raw Materials for Steel?

By Paul Reed
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,603
References
Share

Steel has been an important part of construction since the 1800s, because of its versatility as a building material. Its popularity is largely due to its strength and ease of manufacturing. The raw materials for steel vary because different steels can be made to suit their end uses, including softer steel for machining to very hard steel for security devices or safes. All steel products are valued for their strength, durability and ease of recycling when no longer needed.

The key ingredient for steel is iron that is found in the ground as oxide, a chemical mixture of iron and oxygen mixed with rock. Oxidized iron is common in steel products as they age, because the same molecule is known as rust, which occurs when the iron and oxygen re-combine over time. A high-temperature vessel called a blast furnace is used to prepare the pure metal from the raw ore. Before iron can be placed in the furnace, it typically goes through several processing steps to remove waste rock and concentrate the iron percentage in the ore.

In a blast furnace, the iron ore and other raw materials for steel are added and heated to very high temperatures. When the mixture is molten, oxygen is injected using a hollow pipe called a lance, which causes the mixture to become even hotter. At the very high temperatures, oxygen is separated from the iron oxide, resulting in pure metal. Impurities called slag rise to the top of the furnace and are removed, resulting in a molten mixture of iron and other additives.

There are hundreds of different steel compositions or alloys, but there are a few common raw materials for steel. Carbon is a key ingredient in all steel, but is present at low concentrations. The oxygen in ore reacts with the carbon added to the furnace, removing it from the iron oxide molecule. A pure form of carbon called coke is needed in a blast furnace, and it is prepared by heating coal to high temperatures to remove any organic compounds.

Iron with carbon percentages higher than two percent is referred to as cast iron, which is hard but more brittle. Other raw materials for steel include different metals, silicon and limestone. The limestone, which is calcium carbonate, is called a flux and is added at regular intervals to the furnace to form the slag and remove impurities. Silicon removes oxygen in the furnace and makes the steel more workable, or easier to be bent or machined.

A blast furnace can use some recycled steel, but is typically limited to about 30 percent by weight. Steel is easily recycled, but a different furnace called an electric arc furnace is used for higher percentages of recycled steel. An electric arc furnace uses two electrodes suspended inside the furnace, and a high electric current passes between them, creating high temperatures. The raw materials for steel are already contained in the recycled material, and only small amounts of additives may be needed to create a desired steel composition.

Share
About Mechanics is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.aboutmechanics.com/what-are-the-different-raw-materials-for-steel.htm
Copy this link
About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.