List of the largest pig iron producers

The list of the largest pig iron producers shows the People's Republic of China 700.7 million tons (56.9 percent), by far the most important producer country for pig iron in 2016 , followed by Japan 80.2 million tons (6.5 percent) and India 77, 2 million tons (6.3 percent). The three states together had a share of 69.7 percent in world production of 1231.0 million tons. In Europe, other important producers were Ukraine , Germany , France , Italy and Great Britain .

Around 2.8 billion tons of iron ore were mined worldwide in 2011 . The most important iron ore suppliers were the People's Republic of China, Australia , Brazil , India and Russia. Together they had a share of 82.5 percent of world production. In addition to pig iron, 63.5 million tons of sponge iron were extracted from the iron ore . In addition, new iron is made from scrap.

From a technical point of view, iron is very important for the production of steel . Steels are alloys of iron that are formed when they are mixed (alloyed) with other metals and also non-metals (especially carbon ). With 95 percent by weight of metals used, iron is the most widely used worldwide. The reason for this lies in its wide availability, which makes it quite inexpensive, as well as in the excellent strength and toughness achieved when alloys with other metals such as chromium , molybdenum and nickel are used , which make it a special material for many areas of technology. Iron is, inter alia, in the manufacture of automobiles, ships, and in high-rise buildings ( concrete used).

production

By country

All figures - except for data for 1928 - refer to the states within their current borders.

Production in thousands of tons

Rank (2018)	country	1935	1970	1980	1990	2000	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2016	2017	2018
1.	People's Republic of China		22,045	38.024	62,373	131.015	476,516	469.285	549.428	590.218	629.693	700.736	713.619	771.054
2.	Japan	1,100	68,048	87,041	80.229	81,071	86,771	86,171	66,943	82.283	81,028	80.196	78,330	77,328
3.	India	1,000	7.118	8,509	12,000	21,875	46,887	49,050	61,677	64,967	66,460	77,254	66,808	72,610
4th	Russia	3,300	46.051	57,492	59,038	44,536	51,043	48,295	43,945	47,934	48,120	51,900	52,036	51,664
5.	South Korea		41	5,577	15,339	24,937	29,437	31,043	27,284	35,065	42,218	46,336	47,071	47,124
6th	Brazil		4,205	12,685	21,141	27,723	35,571	34,925	25,135	30,898	33,243	35,000	28,572	28,655
7th	Germany	13,700	35,885	36,331	31,748	30,845	31,150	29,111	20,104	28,560	27,795	27,269	27,816	27,271
8th.	United States	38,800	85.141	62,343	49,668	47,878	36,337	33,729	19,018	26,843	30,233	22,293	22,395	24,058
9.	Ukraine		35,215	43,964	45,146	25,697	35,647	30,981	25,676	27,349	28,867	21,860	20,147	20,563
10.	Taiwan		96	1,724	5,491	9,618	10,518	9,823	7,939	9,358	12,940	14,919	14,361	14,841
11.	Turkey		1,034	2.140	5,367	5,333	6.235	6.704	7.004	7,679	8,173	12,532	10,589	10,536
12.	France	10.100	19,575	18,677	14.096	13,961	12,426	11,372	8,104	10.137	9,698	9,724	10,678	10,530
13.	Canada	1,100	8,424	10,893	7,346	8,904	8,579	8,770	5,273	7,666	7,520	7,608	6,306	6,680
14th	Netherlands	300	3,594	4,328	4,960	4,970	6,412	5,998	4,601	5,799	5,943	6.092	6,145	6,150
15th	United Kingdom	6,700	17,386	6.264	12,319	10,890	10,960	10.137	7,671	7.233	6,625	6.115	5,996	5,588
16.	Austria	500	2,970	3,485	3,452	4,318	5,908	5,795	4,353	5,621	5,815	5,642	6,335	5,269
17th	Poland	700	7.111	11,378	8,352	6,492	5,804	4,934	2,984	3,638	3,975	4,679	5,151	4,853
18th	Italy	500	8,529	12,149	11,852	11,220	11,110	10,377	5,692	8,555	9,824	6,044	5,052	4,836
19th	Belgium	3,900	10,821	9,900	9.416	8,471	6,577	6,977	3,087	4,688	4,725	4,896	4,849	4,790
20th	South Africa		4,328	7,218	6,257	6,292	5,358	5,138	4,444	5,266	4,765	5.013	4,352	4,611
21st	Spain		4,278	6,379	5,441	4,059	3,976	3,784	2,920	3,572	3,540	4.115	4,462	4,521
22nd	Mexico		2,353	3,639	3,665	4,856	4,078	4,450	3,919	4,580	4,725	5,235	4,245	4,428
23.	Slovakia		2,811	3,608	3,552	3,166	4.012	3,529	3,019	3,649	3,346	3,987	4.106	4,220
24.	Czech Republic		4,841	6.212	6.115	4,621	5,287	4,737	3,483	3,987	4.137	4.165	3,691	4,005
25th	Australia	400	5,769	6,976	6.127	7,049	6,369	6,057	4,370	6.005	5,265	3,642	3,758	3,882
26th	Sweden	400	2,842	2,435	2,736	3,145	3.816	3,583	1,966	3,447	3,240	3,200	3.111	2,877
27.	Kazakhstan		4,666	5,825	5,982	4.010	3,240	2,761	2,409	2,522	3,190	3,595	3,769	2,834
28.	Finland		1,164	2,019	2,283	2.983	2,915	2,943	2,042	2,564	2,600	2,700	2,604	2,700
29	Iran		0	200	1,267	2,202	2.118	2.176	2,433	2,540	2,242	2,251	2,293	2,362
30th	Argentina		815	1,027	1.933	2,186	2,593	2,581	2,042	2,532	2,795	2,686	2,171	2.184
31.	Romania		4.211	9.102	6,355	2,985	3,923	2,958	1,575	1,726	1,555	1.932	1.927	1,979
32.	Serbia		1,275	2,436	2,313	598	1,485	1,582	1.008	1,235	1,226	1,154	1,340	1,593
33.	Hungary		1,837	2.214	1,711	1,340	1,393	1,289	1,050	1,325	1,315	863	1.311	1,355
34.	New Zealand		0	0	555	603	679	622	608	667	659	670	683	679
	Pakistan		0	0	650	1,000	900	900	750	750	750			..

The three leading production countries

Production in thousands of tons

year	1.	Prod.	2.	Prod.	3.	Prod.
1928	United States	38,800	Germany	13,700	France	10.100
1950	United States	60.211	Soviet Union	19,175	United Kingdom	9,819
1951	United States	65,724	Soviet Union	21,947	BR Germany	10,697
1952	United States	57,474	Soviet Union	25.096	BR Germany	12,876
1953	United States	70.025	Soviet Union	27,433	BR Germany	11,654
1954	United States	54.206	Soviet Union	29,973	BR Germany	12,512
1955	United States	71.906	Soviet Union	33,310	BR Germany	16,482
1956	United States	70,461	Soviet Union	35,765	BR Germany	17,577
1957	United States	73,409	Soviet Union	36,984	BR Germany	18,358
1958	United States	53,403	Soviet Union	39,626	BR Germany	16,659
1959	United States	56,368	Soviet Union	42,972	BR Germany	18,393
1960	United States	62,251	Soviet Union	46,757	BR Germany	25,739
1961	United States	60,525	Soviet Union	50,893	BR Germany	25,430
1962	United States	61,358	Soviet Union	55,265	BR Germany	24,250
1963	United States	66,998	Soviet Union	58,691	BR Germany	22,909
1964	United States	79,762	Soviet Union	62,377	BR Germany	27,180
1965	United States	82,479	Soviet Union	66.184	Japan	28.164
1966	United States	85.275	Soviet Union	70.264	Japan	32,748
1967	United States	81,174	Soviet Union	74,812	Japan	41,040
1968	United States	82.906	Soviet Union	78,788	Japan	47,463
1969	United States	88,536	Soviet Union	81,634	Japan	58,147
1970	Soviet Union	85.933	United States	85.141	Japan	68,048
1971	Soviet Union	89,256	United States	75,772	Japan	72,745
1972	Soviet Union	92,327	United States	82,861	Japan	74.005
1973	Soviet Union	95,933	United States	93,522	Japan	90.007
1974	Soviet Union	99,868	Japan	90,437	United States	87.008
1975	Soviet Union	102,968	Japan	86,877	United States	72.506
1976	Soviet Union	105.384	Japan	86,576	United States	78,808
1977	Soviet Union	107,368	Japan	85,886	United States	73,780
1978	Soviet Union	110,700	United States	79,541	Japan	78,589
1979	Soviet Union	108.998	Japan	83,825	United States	78,929
1980	Soviet Union	107.282	Japan	87,041	United States	62,343
1981	Soviet Union	107,766	Japan	80,048	United States	66,742
1982	Soviet Union	106,723	Japan	77,655	United States	39.281
1983	Soviet Union	110,453	Japan	72,936	United States	44.208
1984	Soviet Union	104.123	Japan	79,224	United States	41,079
1985	Soviet Union	103,458	Japan	79,578	United States	44,948
1986	Soviet Union	106.509	Japan	73,821	United States	39,292
1987	Soviet Union	106,680	Japan	72,591	United States	43,012
1988	Soviet Union	107,672	Japan	78,398	United States	49,744
1989	Soviet Union	106,723	Japan	79,177	United States	50.166
1990	Soviet Union	110.167	Japan	80.229	People's Republic of China	62,373
1991	Soviet Union	90,953	Japan	79,985	People's Republic of China	67,654
1992	People's Republic of China	75,893	Japan	73.144	United States	47,377
1993	People's Republic of China	87,377	Japan	73,738	United States	48,155
1994	People's Republic of China	97,409	Japan	73,776	United States	49,374
1995	People's Republic of China	105.286	Japan	74.905	United States	50,890
1996	People's Republic of China	107.210	Japan	74,597	United States	49,428
1997	People's Republic of China	115.114	Japan	78,519	United States	49,604
1998	People's Republic of China	118,521	Japan	74,981	United States	48,230
1999	People's Republic of China	125,392	Japan	74,520	United States	46,268
2000	People's Republic of China	131.015	Japan	81,071	United States	47,878
2001	People's Republic of China	155,543	Japan	78,836	Russia	44,947
2002	People's Republic of China	170,846	Japan	80,979	Russia	46.251
2003	People's Republic of China	213,667	Japan	82.091	Russia	48,325
2004	People's Republic of China	268.310	Japan	82,974	Russia	50,321
2005	People's Republic of China	343,752	Japan	83.058	Russia	48,410
2006	People's Republic of China	412,452	Japan	84,270	Russia	51,742
2007	People's Republic of China	476,516	Japan	86,771	Russia	51,043
2008	People's Republic of China	469.285	Japan	86,171	India	49,050
2009	People's Republic of China	549.428	Japan	66,943	India	61,677
2010	People's Republic of China	590.218	Japan	82.283	India	64,967
2011	People's Republic of China	629.693	Japan	81,028	India	66,460
2012	People's Republic of China	663,544	Japan	81,405	India	68,037
2013	People's Republic of China	711.499	Japan	83,849	India	68,252
2014	People's Republic of China	713.748	Japan	83,872	India	75,532
2015	People's Republic of China	691.413	Japan	81.010	India	74,621
2016	People's Republic of China	700.736	Japan	80.186	India	77,254

World production

The following table shows the worldwide production of pig iron in millions of tons.

World production in millions of tons

year Prod. 1910 66.0 1911 63.8 1912 73.5 1913 79.0 1914 60.3 1915 60.7 1916 74.0 1917 70.9 1918 66.0 1919 52.7 1920 62.6 1921 37.7 1922 55.4 1923 69.3 1924 67.9

year Prod. 1925 76.8 1926 78.8 1927 86.8 1928 88.6 1929 98.7 1930 80.0 1931 55.6 1932 39.6 1933 49.4 1934 63.0 1935 74.1 1936 92.2 1937 104.0 1938 82.6 1939 101.9

year Prod. 1940 104.1 1941 111.4 1942 109.0 1943 114.1 1944 108.0 1945 78.4 1946 78.6 1947 98.6 1948 113.0 1949 115.6 1950 132.7 1951 147.3 1952 147.8 1953 164.6 1954 155.4

year Prod. 1955 190.0 1956 195.3 1957 208.3 1958 198.3 1959 220.8 1960 252.8 1961 251.4 1962 256.3 1963 272.7 1964 308.3 1965 326.0 1966 336.6 1967 353.8 1968 379.0 1969 408.6

year Prod. 1970 428.2 1971 424.2 1972 448.2 1973 494.5 1974 504.7 1975 471.2 1976 489.5 1977 488.5 1978 509.5 1979 528.6 1980 508.4 1981 497.5 1982 452.6 1983 458.1 1984 461.1

year Prod. 1985 474.3 1986 467.4 1987 476.8 1988 506.7 1989 512.7 1990 528.2 1991 504.0 1992 498.7 1993 501.2 1994 508.5 1995 524.2 1996 517.4 1997 546.6 1998 539.4 1999 541.0

year Prod. 2000 576.2 2001 586.9 2002 611.0 2003 669.9 2004 719.1 2005 800.7 2006 881.0 2007 961.5 2008 949.6 2009 933.6 2010 1035.1 2011 1103.9 2012 1123.0 2013 1170.1 2014 1187.0

year Prod. 2015 1160.5 2016 1173.5 2017 1186.1 2018 1252.9

See also

• List of the largest iron ore producers
• Steel / tables and graphs

literature

• Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag: Fischer-Weltalmanach. Figures-data-facts , 1960 ff.

Web links

• World Steel Association
• US Geological Survey
• British Geological Survey
• Index Mundi

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} World Steel Association: Statistics Archive ( Memento of the original from February 12, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ ^{a b} Figures for 1928 from Der Volks-Brockhaus , FA Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1935; Page 164
3. ^ WSA Economics Committee: Steel Statistical Yearbooks. World Steel Association, 2020, accessed February 9, 2020 .