| Everyday, all around the world, we all experience | | | | After hundreds of years of steel processing, |
| steel. Our vehicles, our roofs, and the buildings we | | | | different techniques introduced allowed steel to be |
| work in-they all impact us. Sometimes we can see it. | | | | manufactured and used on a large scale. |
| Sometimes we walk on it and don't even know it. | | | | The Steel Marketplace |
| There's no mistake, though, steel is not a | | | | Steel, unlike most commodities, is not traded on a |
| discretionary material. | | | | futures exchange. How is steel's price regulated? By |
| Steel is vital to the economic stability of every | | | | market fluctuations, brought on by major supply and |
| developing country in the world. The steel industry | | | | demand differences around the world. |
| supplies more that $50 billion worth of economic | | | | As world economies expand and contract, the price |
| activity in the United States alone. | | | | of steel expands and contracts across continents. |
| Countries like China and Russia create enormous | | | | Speculation runs wild as to whether steel will be |
| demands for steel-straining full capacity steel | | | | brought into a financial exchange |
| suppliers. | | | | Steel in a Green World |
| This article examines the history of steel, the steel | | | | There's no doubt that steel plays a vital role in the |
| marketplace, and the future of steel in an increasingly | | | | world economy. But, steel's creation is running straight |
| "green" world. | | | | into the green movement. Governments are |
| History of Steel | | | | increasingly enacting laws which restrict emissions |
| Many people think steel is a product of the modern | | | | generated by steel production. |
| age. Not so. Some experts date steel manufacturing | | | | Steel recycling programs help alleviate environmental |
| to 1,400 BC in Africa. The Chinese used steel, as far | | | | stress by reducing the emissions produced from steel |
| back as 200 BC, to successfully manufacture | | | | smelting. As technology advances, manufacturers are |
| weapons. However, these were primitive steel | | | | finding better and cleaners processes for |
| making ages. | | | | manufacturing steel. |
| It wasn't until the 1600s that steel making became a | | | | Steel has become the commodity which is building |
| large scale operation. Again, steel was used primarily | | | | the world. From ancient times until now, people have |
| to forge weapons. But during this time, inventors | | | | understood steel's significance for a modern, |
| began to experiment with steel for different uses. | | | | functioning world. |