As a developing country, India experiences a high demand for Iron and Steel on a regular basis. The industry is flourishing because of this demand. In fact, most of the infrastructural development takes place because of this industry that supplies Steel, one of the important alloys needed in construction projects. And, India has so many construction projects to handle, starting from the construction of buildings to roadways, railways and air planes. Without the Iron and Steel industry, no developmental endeavor will ever be complete.
That is the reason why India is ranked as the third largest producer of raw Steel in 2014. In the same year or the year after, it produced nearly 91 Million tonnes of total finished steel and about 10 Million tonnes of Pig Iron. The Indian Ministry Of Steel always focuses on the maintenance of the Iron and Steel industry for the development of infrastructure as well as the nation’s economic progress.
But, are you aware that this affluent industry depends on a constant supply of raw materials like Iron ore, Coal, Flux, Fuel, Water, Refractories, Scrap Iron, Ferro Alloys and more to function properly? Yes! In other words, it is not a self-sufficient industry that can provide for itself. If the supply of raw materials stops, the industry will suffer to an unimaginable extent. Therefore the Iron and Steel manufacturing units mostly pop up near a coal mining company or an iron ore crushing plant in India. That is how they maintain a regular supply of the raw materials like the ones mentioned below:
- Iron Ore – Undoubtedly, this is the most important raw material that is required for the smooth functioning of the industry. You need at least 1.5 Tonnes of Iron-ore to create 1 Tonne of Pig Iron. Just imagine how many million tonnes of iron-ore do you need to produce a regular supply of pig-iron!
- Fuels Like Coal And Coke – Generally, coke is required in almost all types of blast furnaces. But, some modern day Iron and Steel manufacturers also use coal and charcoal as their fuel. It requires about 450 Tonnes of coke to produce 1 tonne of raw iron.
- Flux (Limestone and Dolomite) – The flux is used to get rid of impurities in the blast furnace. These mix well with the impurities to form slag and, separate the same from the melting ore.
- Ferro-Alloys – Steel production involves various Ferro alloys at different levels. Manganese, Copper, Lead, Molybdenum and more are used to produce a good amount of Steel.
Apart from these, water and air are also required in large amounts for the production of Steel. Thus, the Iron and Steel Industry is almost paralyzed without these raw materials. Moreover, it is not easy to transport huge amounts of iron-ore from one part of the country to another. For that, you require licensed service providers for iron-ore transportation in India. These are the various considerations to keep in mind when running an Iron and Steel plant in India. First of all, it is best if you can set up the manufacturing plant near an iron ore crushing company in India. That will guarantee the much-needed supply of raw materials for life. Then you have to look for a reputable iron-ore transportation service to carry those raw materials to other branches of the industry. Everything should be planned beforehand and meetings should be held between the authorities of both the companies. After that, you can go for a tie-up to ensure the effective functioning of the industry. Make sure you have everything in your favor before you actually set up that Iron and Steel plant.