It's the collective term for both general-purpose and high-grade specialty steels, such as high-tensile steel, containing iron, carbon, and other elements. The two main production methods are the blast furnace, using iron ore, and the electric arc furnace (EAF), using recycled scrap steel. Crude steel is not a final product; it's cast into semi-finished forms like slabs and billets. Its production volume is a fundamental indicator of the health of the global steel industry and a key measure of economic activity.