Steelmaking raw material prices - ore, scrap, gas, coal.
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Steelmaking Commodity Prices

World steel raw material & energy costs





Steelmaking Raw Material and Input Costs
Year/ Month
Therm Coal
$/tonne
Coking Coal
$/ton
Iron Ore
C/dmtu
Natural Gas
$/000m3
Steel Scrap $/tonne
Electricity
C/KwH
2010 M1
103.9
143.2
125.9
273.2
276
6.53
2010 M2
100.9
143.2
127.6
273.2
298
6.55
2010 M3
101.1
143.2
139.8
273.2
310
6.51
2010 M4
107.3
144.8
172.5
300.6
357
6.59
2010 M5
107.3
144.8
161.4
283.3
358
6.66
2010 M6
105.2
144.8
143.6
290.2
353
7.0
2010 M7
102.8
148.7
126.4
305.3
333
7.28
2010 M8
96.2
148.7
145.3
308.5
323
7.18
2010 M9
101.7
148.7
140.6
305.6
363
7.04
2010 M10
104.4
176.6
148.5
311.0
393
6.82
2010 M11
114.8
176.6
160.6
313.6
349
6.59
2010 M12
126.7
176.6
168.5
314.3
331
6.59
2011 M1
141.9
169.3
179.6
330.8
420
6.73
2011 M2
137.5
169.3
187.2
329.0
457
6.72
2011 M3
135.1
169.3
169.4
328.3
461
6.59
2011 M4
131.3
183.6
179.3
361.1
454
6.58
2011 M5
127.6
183.6
177.1
360.7
430
6.76
2011 M6
127.8
183.6
170.9
360.0
443
7.21
2011 M7
128.6
191.1
173.0
403.2
450
7.39
2011 M8
127.8
191.1
177.5
400.0
426
7.46
2011 M9
131.3
191.1
177.2
400.0
433
7.23
2011 M10
127.5
192.3
150.4
436.0
421
6.82
2011 M11
121.9
192.3
135.5
432.7
401
6.60
2011 M12
117.5
192.3
136.5
436.0
356
6.60
2012 M1
124.2
189.5
140.4
443.9
397
6.50
2012 M2
123.4
189.5
140.4
439.9
423
6.52
2012 M3
112.6
189.5
144.7
450.4
417
6.52
2012 M4
108.9
191.5
147.7
452.5
419
6.44
2012 M5
101.2
191.5
136.3
452.5
409
6.57
2012 M6
91.7
191.5
134.6
452.2
393
6.95
2012 M7
94.5
191.2
127.9
409.7
364
7.15
2012 M8
97.5
191.2
107.8
410.4
371
7.11
2012 M9
95.3
191.2
99.5
409.7
376
7.01
2012 M10
87.7
190.1
114.0
416.5
374
6.65
2012 M11
92.0
190.1
120.4
419.0
363
6.53
2012 M12
99.5
190.1
128.9
419.0
381
6.54
2013 M1
99.4
n/a
150.5
410.0
402
6.45
2013 M2
101.7
n/a
154.6
409.0
404
6.60
2013 M3
97.5
n/a
139.9
409.0
400
6.50
2013 M4
93.4
n/a
137.4
419.1
402e
6.5e
  See important comment on US natural gas prices. Table updated 18th May 2013.



Input Cost Notes

Earlier Commodity Cost Information

To download earlier (1980 onward) thermal coal, iron ore or natural gas time series, please click here. For earlier electricity cost data, click here. Full commodity data set in format above is also available with our compliments for year 2000 commodity costs, for 2001 , 2002. More recent data also covers 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 for 2008 or for 2009. We also publish historic and recent US export metallurgical coal prices (also called 'coking coal' or 'met coal').

Raw Material Cost Information Sources

Thermal coal, iron ore and natural gas data reproduced with thanks and permission from the International Monetary Fund. Steel scrap figures are German fob export prices from the official trade statistics ['scrap: old steel']. Coking coal and electricity figures are provided with thanks from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the US Department of Energy: www.eia.doe.gov. Letter 'e' against any figure above indicates management estimate from Steelonthenet.com.

Commodity Definitions

Thermal coal is Australian, 1200 btu/pound, less than 1% sulfur 14% ash, fob Newcastle/Port Kembla. This data is expressed in US $/metric tonne. Coking coal is average quarterly US coke plant purchase price (source: EIA) with cost, insurance and freight included (cif). Please note that this price series is expressed as a cost per short ton. Natural gas is Russian origin - border price in Germany expressed in US $ per 1000 cubic meters of gas. Electricity figures are average monthly US costs for industrial consumers. Units are cents per kilowatt hour.

Iron Ore Costs

Ore prices are for Chinese imported iron ore fines (62% Fe spot, CFR Tianjin port). Units are cents per dry metric tonne unit.



Other economic and related cost assessments

To see how the input costs can be used to assess current steelmaking costs, visit our EAF steel cost page. Or go to our integrated steelmaking cost model page.

To estimate the effect of a change in value of a main steelmaking commodity (scrap, ore, other steel raw materials, energy, or labour) on the production cost of any steel product made through BOF or EAF steelmaking, please contact our steel cost modelling economists.



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