Abstract
Copper in steel causes metallurgical problems, but is pervasive in end-of-life scrap and cannot currently be removed commercially once in the melt. Contamination can be managed to an extent by globally trading scrap for use in tolerant applications and dilution with primary iron sources. However, the viability of long-term strategies can only be evaluated with a complete characterization of copper in the global steel system and this is presented in this paper. The copper concentration of flows along the 2008 steel supply chain is estimated from a survey of literature data and compared with estimates of the maximum concentration that can be tolerated in steel products. Estimates of final steel demand and scrap supply by sector are taken from a global stock-saturation model to determine when the amount of copper in the steel cycle will exceed that which can be tolerated. Best estimates show that quantities of copper arising from conventional scrap preparation can be managed in the global steel system until 2050 assuming perfectly coordinated trade and extensive dilution, but this strategy will become increasingly impractical. Technical and policy interventions along the supply chain are presented to close product loops before this global constraint.
Highlights
Steel is the world’s most recycled material, with end-of-life recovery rate estimates as high as 90%.1 Making steel from scrap in an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) leads to around onethird the greenhouse gas emissions associated with steelmaking from ore.[2]
It can be seen that buildings are likely made from 40% secondary steel, at an average of 0.15 wt % copper while the box to the right shows the intermediate products making up buildings could tolerate a higher proportion of secondary steel at a higher copper concentration
Using future projections assuming global stock saturation, there is a clear trend toward increased difficulties and inefficiencies caused by copper
Summary
Steel is the world’s most recycled material, with end-of-life recovery rate estimates as high as 90%.1 Making steel from scrap in an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) leads to around onethird the greenhouse gas emissions associated with steelmaking from ore.[2]. Steel is the world’s most recycled material, with end-of-life recovery rate estimates as high as 90%.1. Oda et al.[5] show that steel recycling has historically been constrained by the availability of scrap. Using a dynamic stock model, Pauliuk et al.[6] find that by 2050 the global supply of end-of-life scrap will triple from current volumes. From this expanding volume of scrap, Allwood[7] argues that all projected future growth in demand for steel could be met by recycling, but it is unknown whether the secondary route can supply the demanded quality requirements
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