Steel is one of the world’s most important engineering and
construction materials, and increasingly a material of choice in
commercial and residential applications. Although no one is
certain when it was first used, a British inventor named Henry
Bessemer is credited with creating the first technique by which
steel could be mass-produced. Today, the metal is produced by
adding a small amount of carbon to iron ore, and removing
impurities, such as sulfur and phosphorous. Small amounts of
alloying metals, such as nickel, manganese, chromium and
vanadium may also be added. Facts About Steel - There are
currently more than 3,500 different grades, most of which have
been developed within the last few decades. The Eiffel Tower, if
it were built using modern varieties of steel, would require
only one-third as much steel as was used in 1889 when it was
constructed. - The recent economic boom in China and India has
caused a massive increase in it’s demand. - China is the world’s
top producer, followed by Japan, Russia