Two Routes to Steel

Today´s steelmaker who is planning brownfield expansion or greenfield development has two main choices of process¿the conventional blast furnace¿basic oxygen furnace method or the emerging direct reduction¿electric arc furnace route. The manpower, fuel, and capital efficiencies of the two methods are compared, and possible future developments including nuclear steelmaking and continuous steel-making are discussed. Comments on the critical factors involved in making a choice of process are given.