Question

Mention two advantages that a mini steel plant has over an integrated iron and steel plant.

Answer 1

Hint: Among the most important industries the iron and steel industries is the third-largest producer of raw steel. In 2019 India became the second-biggest steel maker on the planet after China.

Complete answer: Mini steel plants are decentralised, small, secondary units have electric furnaces which produce steel using scrap and sponge iron. These mini steel plants produce mild and alloy steel of various kinds. Integrated steel plant, then again, is huge to handle everything in one complex beginning from the transportation of crude material to steel, making, moving, forming metal. Two advantages that a mini steel plant has over an integrated and steel plant are :
- Mini Steel Plants utilize electric furnaces consequently saving coking coal. They require fewer investments.
- It utilizes effectively accessible scrap iron as crude materials.
In India, there are around 650 mini steel plants in India and about 5 integrated Steel Authority of India limited plants. The problems faced by the iron and steel plants are - high costs and lack of availability of coking coal, low efficient labour, erratic supply of energy resources and poor infrastructure.

Note: The Ministry of Steel is encouraging setting up of an industry-driven Steel Research and Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) in relationship with general society and private area steel organizations to start creative work practices in the iron and steel industry at a initial corpus of Rs 200 crore.