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Roy,
Generally, the iron produced in the blast furnace is used in the electric induction furnaces to produce the certified slabs for onward processing. An alternate method is the HYLSA process to produce pellets from sponge iron.
The use of scrap provides recycling and avoids the prior stages for processing of the base iron, making for savings in steel production. One of the problems with pure iron is that it oxidizes like the Billy-o and, if it gets wet, spontaneous combustion can occur.
With the myriad of steels now needed, everything is certified and verifiable. Scrap feed does not mean scrappy steel product.
Arcelor Mittal is probably the world's biggest producer. I know quite well their plant in Lazaro Cardenas, from the port facilities, where they unload sponge iron and ore, right through the process to the final disposal of the slabs by sea or land. A-M do away with Unions (LC was always on strike!) and squeeze every last drop of capacity from the plants. I have also collaborated with experts from many countries including an American who came out on History Channel - After a BF blow-out (stave failure), he wanted to dynamite the elephant's foot, but the LC manager got it out, almost complete, by mechanical methods in a relatively short time. On this claim, the worldwide logistics were amazing, for example, hundreds of carbon blocks by air charter from Luxembourg.
Rgds.
Dave
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