South America’s crude steel production increased 2.6 percent in February, year-on-year, to 3.5 million mt, the World Steel Association said on Friday.
According to the association, the cumulative crude steel production of the region in January and February reached 7.5 million mt, 4.3 percent up compared to the 7 million of crude steel produced in the same period of 2014.
Brazil remained as the region’s top crude steel producer, with a 2.6 million mt production volume in February, 2.3 percent up, year on year. Brazil accounted for 74.2 percent of the region’s total crude steel production in the second month of the year. In 2014, that share was 76.4 percent.
Argentina ranked second with a production total of 377,000 mt of crude steel in February, down 1 percent, year-on-year, while Venezuela ranked third with an estimated 145,000 mt in crude steel production.
Other estimated production totals for February include: Peru and Chile, with 85,000 mt each; Colombia with 80,000 mt; Ecuador with 45,000 mt; Uruguay with 10,000 mt; and Paraguay with 5,000 mt. With the exception of Chile and Ecuador, all of these listed countries saw year-on-year gains in crude steel production, although Peru’s estimated February 2015 total is equivalent to its February 2014 total.