In the first half of this year, world pig iron production amounted to 593.22 million mt, rising by 1.68 percent compared to the same period of 2013, according to the preliminary data covering 38 countries accounting for approximately 99 percent of total world blast furnace pig iron production, released by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).
In the given period, pig iron output in Asia amounted to 450.09 million mt, up 1.95 percent, with 357.54 million mt produced by China, up 0.69 percent, 41.46 million mt produced by Japan, down 0.67 percent, and 24.93 million mt produced by India, up 3.73 percent - with all comparisons on year-on-year basis. Meanwhile, in the same month EU countries produced 46.14 million mt of pig iron, while the CIS produced 40.86 million mt, with respective increases of 4.7 percent and 0.42 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in June this year global pig iron production amounted to 98.36 million metric tons, decreasing by 2.4 percent compared to May, but up 2.71 percent on year-on-year basis.
In June alone, pig iron output in Asia amounted to 73.85 million mt, up 2.9 percent, with 58.34 million mt produced by China, up 2.86 percent, 6.89 million mt produced by Japan, down 0.57 percent, and 4.16 million mt produced by India, up 0.34 percent - with all comparisons on year-on-year basis. Meanwhile, in the same month EU countries produced 7.65 million mt of pig iron, while the CIS produced 6.77 million mt, with respective increases of 1.98 percent and 3.06 percent year on year.