Question

Why do mini steel plants cause less pollution than integrated steel plants?

Answer 1

Hint: A steel factory is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It can be an integrated steel plant where all steps of steelmaking are carried out, right from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finished casting products are made from molten pig iron or scrap.

Complete answer:Mini steel plants cause less pollution than integrated steel plants because the former use electric furnaces while the latter use coal to melt iron ore.
The main features of mini and integrated steel plants have been mentioned below:-
An integrated steel plant is a primary producer, it involves iron making, steel making, the casting of iron and a mini steel plant is a secondary producer, it produces Carbon steel and steel alloys of certain specifications.
Integrated steel plants are large and handle everything in one complex structure or plant. Whereas a mini steel plant is smaller in size and uses electric furnaces.
An integrated steel plant uses raw material namely, Iron ore, limestone, and coal (or coke). Whereas in a mini steel plant the raw material which is used is Iron from scrap steel, recycled from used automobiles and equipment or byproducts of manufacturing.
In integrated steel plants the final products made are usually large structural sections, heavy plate, strip, wire rod, railway rails whereas in a mini steel plant occasionally long products such as bars and pipe are made otherwise specialized products are manufactured.
An integrated steel plant serves as a large scale production house and therefore the investment is huge whereas mini steel plants have lower investments.
There are about 5 integrated SAIL steel plants in India whereas there are about 650 mini steel plants.

Note: Bhilai steel plant is the largest integrated steel plant in India. It is situated in Bhilai, Chattisgarh. It is the largest producer of steel in the country.