According to the Mineral Industry Survey released by the US Geological Survey (USGS), US iron ore production in April this year was 3.46 million mt, falling 21 percent from the March level and down by 13 percent year on year. Iron ore shipments in the US in April totaled 4.59 million mt, more than double compared to the level recorded in March and down 10.9 percent year on year.
In the first four months of the year, the US iron ore output totaled 16 million mt, down 4.2 percent compared to the same period of 2012, while a 12.7 percent year-on-year decline is recorded in US iron ore shipments in the first four months of the year.
In April, US iron ore exports amounted to 1.16 million mt, rising by 43.7 percent month on month. Iron ore exports to Canada, the largest iron ore export destination of the US, totaled 724,000 mt, up strongly compared to the 126,000 mt recorded in March, while exports to China amounted to 175,000 metric tons, falling 44.3 percent compared to March.
Meanwhile, in April pig iron production in the US totaled 2.8 million mt, falling 7.9 percent month on month and down 4.1 percent compared to April 2012. US crude steel production via blast furnaces in the month in question fell by 5.6 percent compared to March and was down 21.3 percent year on year, amounting to 2.5 million mt, while crude steel production using electric arc furnaces (EAFs) amounted to 4.3 million mt, down by 0.9 percent compared to March and down 6.5 percent year on year.