Amidst a surprising year of contrasts where global steel production slightly dipped, a staggering 1.9 billion tonnes of material emerged from the world's furnaces, powered by over 3.2 million workers and an increasingly greener focus on recycling.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, global crude steel production reached 1,888 million tonnes, a 1.6% decrease from 2021, with China accounting for 1,013 million tonnes or 53.6% of the total.
- China's steel production in 2022 was 1,013.0 million tonnes, down 1.1% from the previous year.
- India produced 124.8 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, an increase of 6.5% year-over-year.
- Global apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,745 million tonnes, down 2.5% from 2021.
- China's apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,023 million tonnes, a 3.8% decline.
- EU apparent steel consumption in 2022 fell to 132 million tonnes, down 5.1%.
- World steel exports in 2022 totaled 449 million tonnes, down 7.6% from 2021.
- China exported 47.5 million tonnes of steel in 2022, up 32.1%.
- Japan steel exports in 2022 were 51.1 million tonnes, up 11.3%.
- The global steel industry employed approximately 3.2 million people directly in 2022.
- In China, the steel sector provided jobs to over 1.5 million workers in 2022.
- US steel industry employment stood at 83,600 in 2022.
- Steel industry CO2 emissions totaled 2.0 billion tonnes in 2022, about 7-9% of global total.
- Global steel production emitted 1.85 tonnes CO2 per tonne of steel on average in 2022.
- China steel sector CO2 emissions were 1.8 billion tonnes in 2022.
In 2022, the global metal industry saw production declines while recycling rates climbed.
Consumption
- Global apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,745 million tonnes, down 2.5% from 2021.
- China's apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,023 million tonnes, a 3.8% decline.
- EU apparent steel consumption in 2022 fell to 132 million tonnes, down 5.1%.
- US steel consumption in 2022 was 105 million tonnes, up 1.6%.
- India's steel use reached 125 million tonnes in 2022, growing 13.3%.
- Japan's apparent steel use in 2022 was 63 million tonnes, down 2.6%.
- Global aluminum consumption in 2022 was approximately 70 million metric tons.
- China's aluminum consumption in 2022 exceeded 40 million metric tons.
- US primary aluminum apparent consumption in 2022 was 5.6 million metric tons.
- Global refined copper consumption in 2022 was 25.8 million metric tons.
- China's refined copper consumption hit 14.2 million metric tons in 2022.
- EU copper apparent consumption in 2022 was 3.3 million metric tons.
- Global zinc consumption in 2022 totaled 13.5 million metric tons.
- China's zinc consumption was 6.5 million metric tons in 2022.
- US zinc apparent consumption in 2022 was 0.28 million short tons.
- Global nickel consumption in 2022 was 3.2 million metric tons.
- China's nickel consumption reached 1.4 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global lead consumption in 2022 was 4.8 million metric tons.
- China's lead consumption was 2.0 million metric tons in 2022.
Consumption Interpretation
The world's metals market collectively caught a slight chill last year, but China still consumed enough steel and aluminum to build a small planet, leaving everyone else to fight over the scraps while India enthusiastically joined the feast.
Employment
- The global steel industry employed approximately 3.2 million people directly in 2022.
- In China, the steel sector provided jobs to over 1.5 million workers in 2022.
- US steel industry employment stood at 83,600 in 2022.
- India's steel industry employed 2.5 million people directly and indirectly in 2022.
- EU steel sector had 325,000 direct employees in 2022.
- Japan's steel industry workforce was around 300,000 in 2022.
- South Korea steel employment totaled 120,000 workers in 2022.
- Brazil steel industry employed 140,000 people in 2022.
- Global aluminum industry direct employment was about 1 million in 2022.
- US primary aluminum employment was 14,000 in 2022.
- China's aluminum sector employed over 500,000 workers in 2022.
- Global copper mining employment exceeded 1.5 million in 2022.
- Chile copper mines employed 180,000 people in 2022.
- US copper employment was 10,000 in mining in 2022.
- Global zinc mining workforce was around 200,000 in 2022.
- Australia's zinc and lead mines employed 25,000 in 2022.
- Global nickel industry employment totaled 150,000 in 2022.
- Indonesia nickel mining jobs reached 100,000 in 2022.
- Global lead recycling employs over 500,000 people worldwide.
- US steel industry saw a 2% employment decline to 83,600 in 2022 from 2021.
- The steel industry generated 50 million indirect jobs globally in 2022.
Employment Interpretation
Even as the global steel industry stands as a titan of employment with over 3 million direct jobs—and a staggering 50 million indirect ones—it's a restless titan, with subtle but telling tremors in regions like the U.S. highlighting its perpetual dance between economic might and market volatility.
Production
- In 2022, global crude steel production reached 1,888 million tonnes, a 1.6% decrease from 2021, with China accounting for 1,013 million tonnes or 53.6% of the total.
- China's steel production in 2022 was 1,013.0 million tonnes, down 1.1% from the previous year.
- India produced 124.8 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, an increase of 6.5% year-over-year.
- Japan's crude steel output in 2022 totaled 89.2 million tonnes, a decline of 5.7% from 2021.
- The United States produced 80.5 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 4.2%.
- Global pig iron production in 2022 was 1,273 million tonnes, with China leading at 796 million tonnes.
- Brazil's crude steel production reached 36.0 million tonnes in 2022, up 3.8%.
- Russia's steel output in 2022 was 71.5 million tonnes, a 5.5% decrease.
- South Korea produced 65.9 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 0.7%.
- Germany's steel production in 2022 was 35.8 million tonnes, falling 6.1%.
- Turkey outputted 35.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 10.2%.
- Iran's crude steel production hit 30.5 million tonnes in 2022, up 6.1%.
- Ukraine produced 6.2 million tonnes in 2022, a sharp 70.3% drop due to conflict.
- Global direct reduced iron (DRI) production in 2022 was 128.5 million tonnes, up 6.5%.
- India led DRI production with 45.6 million tonnes in 2022.
- US aluminum production in 2022 was 1.05 million metric tons of primary aluminum.
- Global primary aluminum production reached 69.1 million metric tons in 2022.
- China's primary aluminum output in 2022 was 40.0 million metric tons.
- Global copper mine production in 2022 totaled 21.7 million metric tons.
- Chile produced 5.4 million metric tons of copper mine output in 2022.
- Peru's copper mine production was 2.2 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global zinc mine production in 2022 was 13.3 million metric tons.
- China's zinc mine production reached 4.3 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia's zinc output was 1.3 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global nickel mine production in 2022 hit 3.3 million metric tons.
- Indonesia produced 1.6 million metric tons of nickel mines in 2022.
- Philippines nickel mine production was 0.37 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global lead mine production in 2022 was 4.6 million metric tons.
- China's lead mine output was 1.9 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia's lead production reached 0.51 million metric tons in 2022.
Production Interpretation
The global metals industry in 2022 resembled a lopsided seesaw, with China's sheer gravitational pull on production figures only slightly offset by India's spirited climb, while geopolitical conflict in Ukraine tragically demonstrated how quickly a major industrial pillar can be reduced to rubble.
Sustainability/Environment
- Steel industry CO2 emissions totaled 2.0 billion tonnes in 2022, about 7-9% of global total.
- Global steel production emitted 1.85 tonnes CO2 per tonne of steel on average in 2022.
- China steel sector CO2 emissions were 1.8 billion tonnes in 2022.
- EU steel emissions fell 5% to 130 million tonnes CO2 in 2022.
- Blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) route emitted 1.9 t CO2/t steel in 2022 globally.
- Electric arc furnace (EAF) average emission was 0.4 t CO2/t steel in 2022.
- Global steel recycling rate reached 85% in 2022.
- 520 million tonnes of steel scrap used globally in 2022.
- Aluminum recycling saved 95% energy compared to primary production in 2022.
- Global secondary aluminum production was 33% of total in 2022.
- Copper recycling rate was 42% globally in 2022.
- 7.5 million tonnes of copper scrap recycled worldwide in 2022.
- Zinc recycling rate achieved 60% in 2022.
- Nickel recycling contributed 40% to supply in stainless steel in 2022.
- Lead-acid battery recycling rate was 99% in developed countries in 2022.
- Steel industry water usage averaged 25 m3 per tonne of steel in 2022 globally.
- Global aluminum smelting energy intensity was 13.9 MWh per tonne in 2022.
Sustainability/Environment Interpretation
The steel industry, a climate heavyweight responsible for nearly a tenth of global emissions, shows a stark choice between the dirty past of blast furnaces and a cleaner future powered by recycled scrap and electric arcs, a path already being paved by remarkably high recycling rates for metals like steel, lead, and aluminum.
Trade/Exports
- World steel exports in 2022 totaled 449 million tonnes, down 7.6% from 2021.
- China exported 47.5 million tonnes of steel in 2022, up 32.1%.
- Japan steel exports in 2022 were 51.1 million tonnes, up 11.3%.
- South Korea exported 40.3 million tonnes of steel in 2022, down 1.0%.
- Russia steel exports fell to 34.3 million tonnes in 2022, down 22.7%.
- Turkey exported 17.5 million tonnes of steel in 2022, up 19.4%.
- India steel exports surged to 16.5 million tonnes in 2022, up 49.3%.
- EU steel exports in 2022 were 97 million tonnes, down 11.7%.
- US steel exports in 2022 totaled 7.6 million net tons, up 7.5%.
- Global aluminum exports in 2022 reached about 25 million metric tons.
- Russia was the top aluminum exporter with 5.9 million metric tons in 2022.
- UAE aluminum exports were 5.4 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global copper exports in 2022 totaled 20.5 million metric tons of refined copper.
- Chile exported 5.0 million metric tons of copper in 2022.
- Japan copper exports reached 1.6 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global zinc exports in 2022 were approximately 12 million metric tons.
- Peru zinc exports hit 1.2 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia exported 0.8 million metric tons of zinc in 2022.
- Global nickel exports in 2022 totaled 2.8 million metric tons.
- Indonesia nickel exports were 1.4 million metric tons in 2022.
- Canada exported 0.2 million metric tons of nickel in 2022.
- Global lead exports in 2022 reached 4.2 million metric tons.
- Mexico lead exports were 0.4 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia exported 0.3 million metric tons of lead in 2022.
Trade/Exports Interpretation
The global metal trade is a tumultuous orchestra where China's steel section plays a fortissimo solo, Indonesia's nickel takes a sudden, commanding lead, and the rest of the ensemble struggles to keep time amidst geopolitical discord and wavering demand.
Sources & References
- Reference 1WORLDSTEELworldsteel.orgVisit source
- Reference 2PUBSpubs.usgs.govVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4STEELsteel.orgVisit source
- Reference 5COPPERcopper.orgVisit source
- Reference 6AISTaist.orgVisit source
- Reference 7STEELsteel.gov.inVisit source
- Reference 8EUROFEReurofer.euVisit source
- Reference 9JISFjisf.or.jpVisit source
- Reference 10KOSPOkospo.or.krVisit source
- Reference 11ACOMIZILacomizil.org.brVisit source
- Reference 12INTERNATIONAL-ALUMINIUMinternational-aluminium.orgVisit source
- Reference 13CHINALCOchinalco.com.cnVisit source
- Reference 14ICSGicsg.orgVisit source
- Reference 15COCHILCOcochilco.clVisit source
- Reference 16ILZSGilzsg.orgVisit source
- Reference 17GAga.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 18INSGinsg.orgVisit source
- Reference 19ANTAMantam.comVisit source
- Reference 20BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 21IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 22BIRbir.orgVisit source
- Reference 23BSRbsr.orgVisit source
- Reference 24COPPERALLIANCEcopperalliance.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 25NICKELINSTITUTEnickelinstitute.orgVisit source