ON STEEL SCRAP RESOURCES FOR STEEL INDUSTRY

The steel scrap index (S), as the criterion for defining the degree of availability of steel scrap for steel industry, is shortly defined. The relationship between S and the annual output of crude steel is analyzed in a simple way. The S for P. R. China, Japan and USA in the period of 1988 1997 is calculated based on published statistical data. Taking the calculation results as reference, the structures of steel manufacturing processes in these countries and possible changes in the future are discussed.