Austria: Steel's Magic Wand

The LD oxygen furnaces at the Richard Thomas & Baldwins mill are the newest weapon that steelmen around the world are wielding to compete with cement, aluminum and plastics. Pure oxygen, when blown into steel crucibles, enables them to make steel faster and cheaper than ever before. Last August, boldly investing in the future despite poor current business, U.S. Steel Corp. announced that it will build two iso-ton "basic oxygen" furnaces at its Duquesne works. Last month. National Steel Corp. opened two 300-tonners at its Great Lakes works. In all, LD fur naces are now pouring steel in 17...

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