tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post2539791092716415477..comments2024-03-29T00:30:39.262-05:00Comments on real economics: About that mini-mill in South CarolinaJonathan Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05217670446743983955noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-46569778827263031622012-01-07T14:31:06.185-06:002012-01-07T14:31:06.185-06:00There is this project which may come to fruition:
...There is this project which may come to fruition:<br />http://www.businessnorth.com/exclusives.asp?RID=3979<br /><br />Sounds like it's been a dream for years, but high commodity prices could make it a reality.A Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11536475234970506497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-17333092129565613172012-01-03T09:41:47.025-06:002012-01-03T09:41:47.025-06:00Thanks for your input. Here in Minnesota we mine ...Thanks for your input. Here in Minnesota we mine a bunch of iron ore but never had any real steel mills. We do have a mini-mill called North Star Steel and it is owned by Cargill—the folks who make most of their money trading agricultural commodities—so knowledge of steelmaking is not widespread.Jonathan Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05217670446743983955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-50586534022514912012012-01-02T16:50:59.842-06:002012-01-02T16:50:59.842-06:00Yeah, the electric-arc furnaces are tremendously f...Yeah, the electric-arc furnaces are tremendously flexible, and are great since they recycle scrap steel, as you emphasized. I don't know what the timeframe was between relinings, but I do remember AK Steel took their blast furnace off-line a few years ago to do relining.A Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11536475234970506497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-69952440147709803102012-01-02T13:55:36.212-06:002012-01-02T13:55:36.212-06:00I would never argue steel mill technology with a g...I would never argue steel mill technology with a guy from Ohio so I'll bet you are right. I would imagine a relining job would essentially produce a new blast furnace on the inside—but what a hassle! But the point remains—an electric arc furnace can be restarted by flipping a few switches (I oversimplify.)<br /><br />I know there are steel mills that have never been shut down—that Stalin-era mill at Magnitogorsk is a prime example. I always thought that meant that in an economy where they don't have to care if there are markets for the output, the reality of blast furnaces meant they had to run 365/24/7.Jonathan Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05217670446743983955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413935813892441553.post-30347755210951756062011-12-31T10:13:27.086-06:002011-12-31T10:13:27.086-06:00I believe blast furnaces can be shut down, but the...I believe blast furnaces can be shut down, but they generally require a lot of expensive relining before being reused. That is what made the threat of strikes in the post-war steel industry such a powerful weapon. The costs which would be incurred if the blast furnaces were shut down were significant compared to going along with union demandsA Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11536475234970506497noreply@blogger.com