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
1Global apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,745 million tonnes, down 2.5% from 2021.
Verified2China's apparent steel use in 2022 was 1,023 million tonnes, a 3.8% decline.
Verified3EU apparent steel consumption in 2022 fell to 132 million tonnes, down 5.1%.
Verified4US steel consumption in 2022 was 105 million tonnes, up 1.6%.
Directional5India's steel use reached 125 million tonnes in 2022, growing 13.3%.
Single source6Japan's apparent steel use in 2022 was 63 million tonnes, down 2.6%.
Verified7Global aluminum consumption in 2022 was approximately 70 million metric tons.
Verified8China's aluminum consumption in 2022 exceeded 40 million metric tons.
Verified9US primary aluminum apparent consumption in 2022 was 5.6 million metric tons.
Directional10Global refined copper consumption in 2022 was 25.8 million metric tons.
Single source11China's refined copper consumption hit 14.2 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified12EU copper apparent consumption in 2022 was 3.3 million metric tons.
Verified13Global zinc consumption in 2022 totaled 13.5 million metric tons.
Verified14China's zinc consumption was 6.5 million metric tons in 2022.
Directional15US zinc apparent consumption in 2022 was 0.28 million short tons.
Single source16Global nickel consumption in 2022 was 3.2 million metric tons.
Verified17China's nickel consumption reached 1.4 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified18Global lead consumption in 2022 was 4.8 million metric tons.
Verified19China's lead consumption was 2.0 million metric tons in 2022.
DirectionalConsumption 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
1The global steel industry employed approximately 3.2 million people directly in 2022.
Verified2In China, the steel sector provided jobs to over 1.5 million workers in 2022.
Verified3US steel industry employment stood at 83,600 in 2022.
Verified4India's steel industry employed 2.5 million people directly and indirectly in 2022.
Directional5EU steel sector had 325,000 direct employees in 2022.
Single source6Japan's steel industry workforce was around 300,000 in 2022.
Verified7South Korea steel employment totaled 120,000 workers in 2022.
Verified8Brazil steel industry employed 140,000 people in 2022.
Verified9Global aluminum industry direct employment was about 1 million in 2022.
Directional10US primary aluminum employment was 14,000 in 2022.
Single source11China's aluminum sector employed over 500,000 workers in 2022.
Verified12Global copper mining employment exceeded 1.5 million in 2022.
Verified13Chile copper mines employed 180,000 people in 2022.
Verified14US copper employment was 10,000 in mining in 2022.
Directional15Global zinc mining workforce was around 200,000 in 2022.
Single source16Australia's zinc and lead mines employed 25,000 in 2022.
Verified17Global nickel industry employment totaled 150,000 in 2022.
Verified18Indonesia nickel mining jobs reached 100,000 in 2022.
Verified19Global lead recycling employs over 500,000 people worldwide.
Directional20US steel industry saw a 2% employment decline to 83,600 in 2022 from 2021.
Single source21The steel industry generated 50 million indirect jobs globally in 2022.
VerifiedEmployment 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
1In 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.
Verified2China's steel production in 2022 was 1,013.0 million tonnes, down 1.1% from the previous year.
Verified3India produced 124.8 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, an increase of 6.5% year-over-year.
Verified4Japan's crude steel output in 2022 totaled 89.2 million tonnes, a decline of 5.7% from 2021.
Directional5The United States produced 80.5 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 4.2%.
Single source6Global pig iron production in 2022 was 1,273 million tonnes, with China leading at 796 million tonnes.
Verified7Brazil's crude steel production reached 36.0 million tonnes in 2022, up 3.8%.
Verified8Russia's steel output in 2022 was 71.5 million tonnes, a 5.5% decrease.
Verified9South Korea produced 65.9 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 0.7%.
Directional10Germany's steel production in 2022 was 35.8 million tonnes, falling 6.1%.
Single source11Turkey outputted 35.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, down 10.2%.
Verified12Iran's crude steel production hit 30.5 million tonnes in 2022, up 6.1%.
Verified13Ukraine produced 6.2 million tonnes in 2022, a sharp 70.3% drop due to conflict.
Verified14Global direct reduced iron (DRI) production in 2022 was 128.5 million tonnes, up 6.5%.
Directional15India led DRI production with 45.6 million tonnes in 2022.
Single source16US aluminum production in 2022 was 1.05 million metric tons of primary aluminum.
Verified17Global primary aluminum production reached 69.1 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified18China's primary aluminum output in 2022 was 40.0 million metric tons.
Verified19Global copper mine production in 2022 totaled 21.7 million metric tons.
Directional20Chile produced 5.4 million metric tons of copper mine output in 2022.
Single source21Peru's copper mine production was 2.2 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified22Global zinc mine production in 2022 was 13.3 million metric tons.
Verified23China's zinc mine production reached 4.3 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified24Australia's zinc output was 1.3 million metric tons in 2022.
Directional25Global nickel mine production in 2022 hit 3.3 million metric tons.
Single source26Indonesia produced 1.6 million metric tons of nickel mines in 2022.
Verified27Philippines nickel mine production was 0.37 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified28Global lead mine production in 2022 was 4.6 million metric tons.
Verified29China's lead mine output was 1.9 million metric tons in 2022.
Directional30Australia's lead production reached 0.51 million metric tons in 2022.
Single sourceProduction 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
1Steel industry CO2 emissions totaled 2.0 billion tonnes in 2022, about 7-9% of global total.
Verified2Global steel production emitted 1.85 tonnes CO2 per tonne of steel on average in 2022.
Verified3China steel sector CO2 emissions were 1.8 billion tonnes in 2022.
Verified4EU steel emissions fell 5% to 130 million tonnes CO2 in 2022.
Directional5Blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) route emitted 1.9 t CO2/t steel in 2022 globally.
Single source6Electric arc furnace (EAF) average emission was 0.4 t CO2/t steel in 2022.
Verified7Global steel recycling rate reached 85% in 2022.
Verified8520 million tonnes of steel scrap used globally in 2022.
Verified9Aluminum recycling saved 95% energy compared to primary production in 2022.
Directional10Global secondary aluminum production was 33% of total in 2022.
Single source11Copper recycling rate was 42% globally in 2022.
Verified127.5 million tonnes of copper scrap recycled worldwide in 2022.
Verified13Zinc recycling rate achieved 60% in 2022.
Verified14Nickel recycling contributed 40% to supply in stainless steel in 2022.
Directional15Lead-acid battery recycling rate was 99% in developed countries in 2022.
Single source16Steel industry water usage averaged 25 m3 per tonne of steel in 2022 globally.
Verified17Global aluminum smelting energy intensity was 13.9 MWh per tonne in 2022.
VerifiedSustainability/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
1World steel exports in 2022 totaled 449 million tonnes, down 7.6% from 2021.
Verified2China exported 47.5 million tonnes of steel in 2022, up 32.1%.
Verified3Japan steel exports in 2022 were 51.1 million tonnes, up 11.3%.
Verified4South Korea exported 40.3 million tonnes of steel in 2022, down 1.0%.
Directional5Russia steel exports fell to 34.3 million tonnes in 2022, down 22.7%.
Single source6Turkey exported 17.5 million tonnes of steel in 2022, up 19.4%.
Verified7India steel exports surged to 16.5 million tonnes in 2022, up 49.3%.
Verified8EU steel exports in 2022 were 97 million tonnes, down 11.7%.
Verified9US steel exports in 2022 totaled 7.6 million net tons, up 7.5%.
Directional10Global aluminum exports in 2022 reached about 25 million metric tons.
Single source11Russia was the top aluminum exporter with 5.9 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified12UAE aluminum exports were 5.4 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified13Global copper exports in 2022 totaled 20.5 million metric tons of refined copper.
Verified14Chile exported 5.0 million metric tons of copper in 2022.
Directional15Japan copper exports reached 1.6 million metric tons in 2022.
Single source16Global zinc exports in 2022 were approximately 12 million metric tons.
Verified17Peru zinc exports hit 1.2 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified18Australia exported 0.8 million metric tons of zinc in 2022.
Verified19Global nickel exports in 2022 totaled 2.8 million metric tons.
Directional20Indonesia nickel exports were 1.4 million metric tons in 2022.
Single source21Canada exported 0.2 million metric tons of nickel in 2022.
Verified22Global lead exports in 2022 reached 4.2 million metric tons.
Verified23Mexico lead exports were 0.4 million metric tons in 2022.
Verified24Australia exported 0.3 million metric tons of lead in 2022.
DirectionalTrade/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
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