How is steel manufactured from iron?

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A periodic table element box for iron displays its atomic number 26, symbol Fe, atomic weight 55.845, electron configuration, and name. Icons indicate iron is a solid, a transition metal, has a body-centered cubic crystal structure, and equal relative strength. Labels explain each property. — iron Properties of iron.

Steel is manufactured from iron through a process of purification and alloying. Pig iron, which contains impurities like carbon, silicon, and manganese, is heated and purified. The Bessemer process, one of the earliest methods for mass-producing steel, involved blowing air through molten pig iron to oxidize and remove these impurities. Carbon is a key element in steel, typically making up less than 2 percent of its composition. Adding carbon to iron significantly increases its hardness and strength. Alloying elements, often added in the form of ferroalloys, are also incorporated to achieve specific properties. This transformation from iron to steel creates a versatile material essential for construction and manufacturing.123