Products
Iron ore is the key component in steel, the most widely used of all metals. It is used in the construction of buildings and bridges, in vehicles and many household appliances.
Thembelani Ndzendze training in Exploration Geology at Sishen South, South Africa
In 2008, the steel industry was heavily affected by the global economic recession. In 2009, despite the world economic slowdown, world crude steel production reached a total of 1.22 billion tonnes, a decrease of only 8% on 2008, as China, the world's principal steelmaker, increased crude steel production on the back of the Chinese government's massive fiscal stimulus package.
As 96% of manganese ore is smelted to produce manganese ferro-alloys which are used in steel alloying applications, the performance of the manganese alloy industry is a key determinant of ore demand.
