Salient Iron And Steel Slag Statistics

This table presents key quantitative data on the production, sales, value, exports, imports, and apparent consumption of various types of iron and steel slag in the United States over a five-year period from 2017 to 2021. These materials, which include air-cooled and granulated blast furnace slag as well as steel furnace slag, are important byproducts of iron and steel manufacturing. Their economic and industrial significance lies in their widespread use as raw materials in cement production, road construction, and other applications that contribute to sustainable resource utilization and waste reduction in the steel industry. Tracking these statistics helps stakeholders understand market trends, resource availability, and trade dynamics that influence the domestic and global slag markets.

Analysis of the data reveals that total production experienced a notable decline in 2020, dropping to 13.4 million metric tons from 16.3 million metric tons in 2019, likely reflecting disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, production rebounded in 2021 to 15.7 million metric tons, approaching pre-pandemic levels. Among slag types, steel furnace slag sales showed resilience, decreasing from 8.3 million metric tons in 2019 to 6.9 million metric tons in 2020, then rising again to 8.1 million metric tons in 2021. The value of total production followed a similar pattern, with a dip to $345 million in 2020 before increasing sharply to $461 million in 2021, driven largely by the granulated blast furnace slag segment, which accounted for $354 million in 2021 value. Exports fluctuated but reached a high of 20 thousand metric tons and $6.4 million in value in 2021, while imports for consumption steadily increased in value, peaking at $113 million in 2021 despite relatively stable quantities. These trends underscore the dynamic nature of the slag market and its responsiveness to broader economic conditions and trade factors.