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This table presents the percentage distribution of ferrous slags sold in the United States by their various industrial uses, categorized by type—air-cooled blast furnace slag, granulated blast furnace slag, and steel furnace slag—for the years 2020 and 2021. Understanding how these byproducts of steel production are utilized is crucial for assessing their economic value and environmental impact. The data highlights the role of ferrous slags as important raw materials in construction and infrastructure, such as in concrete production, road bases, and asphaltic concrete, which supports sustainable resource management by recycling industrial waste into valuable inputs.
Analysis of the data reveals consistent usage patterns between 2020 and 2021, with road bases and surfaces remaining the dominant application for air-cooled blast furnace slag at approximately 53.7% and 53.8%, respectively. Ready-mixed concrete use of air-cooled slag slightly increased from 18.3% to 18.7%. Granulated blast furnace slag is overwhelmingly used as a cementitious material, maintaining a steady 99.8% share in both years. Steel furnace slag shows a notable allocation to fill applications, holding around 13%, and a significant portion categorized as other or unspecified uses, approximately 20.7% to 20.9%. Minor fluctuations occurred in asphaltic concrete use of steel furnace slag, increasing slightly from 12.3% to 12.4%. Overall, the data indicates stable demand and diversified applications of ferrous slags in the U.S. industrial sector, underscoring their importance in construction and materials manufacturing.
| TABLE 3 | ||||||||||||
| ESTIMATED SALES BREAKDOWN OF FERROUS SLAGS IN THE UNITED STATES, BY USE1 | ||||||||||||
| (Percentage of total tons sold) | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | |||||||||||
| Steel | Steel | |||||||||||
| Blast furnace slag2 | furnace | Blast furnace slag2 | furnace | |||||||||
| Use | Air-cooled | Granulated | slag | Air-cooled | Granulated | slag | ||||||
| Ready-mixed concrete | 18.3 | -- | -- | 18.7 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Concrete products | 0.6 | -- | -- | 0.5 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Asphaltic concrete | 13.4 | -- | 12.3 | 13.3 | -- | 12.4 | ||||||
| Road bases and surfaces | 53.7 | -- | 44.7 | 53.8 | -- | 44.8 | ||||||
| Fill | 1.2 | -- | 13.1 | 1.2 | -- | 12.9 | ||||||
| Cementitious material | -- | 99.8 | -- | -- | 99.8 | -- | ||||||
| Clinker raw material | -- | -- | 2.9 | -- | -- | 2.9 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous3 | 7.7 | 0.2 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 0.2 | 6.3 | ||||||
| Other or unspecified4 | 5.1 | -- | 20.9 | 4.8 | -- | 20.7 | ||||||
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | ||||||
-- Zero.
1Table includes data available through November 27, 2022. A number of respondents provided breakouts that represent only the dominant use(s) of their slag; accordingly, the minor use categories are likely underreported. The data also incorporate some estimates; precision is probably no more than two significant digits.
2Excludes expanded or pelletized slag; this material is generally sold as a lightweight aggregate.
3Used for mineral wool, railroad ballast, roofing, or as a soil conditioner.
4Including returns to furnaces (likely underreported) and other uses.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Iron and Steel Slag statistics | Mineral commodity prices