The continuing growth of electric arc furnace (EAF)-based steelmaking in the United States raises questions about supplies of scrap to feed the furnaces.
Industry observers' views remain mixed about how much tighter the availability of US ferrous scrap - particularly of such prime or factory scrap as No. 1 busheling and No. 1 bundles - will be once the expected big jump in domestic steelmaking capacity comes online over the next few years. Adding to this uncertainty is the possibility that some announced or expected projects - even some that are already under construction - could be delayed or even canceled if the feared economic recession related to the novel coronavirus comes to fruition.US steel mills are not expected to have any trouble securing the scrap that they need this year,...