At this time, Japan's steel output was only around one hundred thousand tons, while the Far East Empire might have produced merely twenty or thirty thousand tons. This showed just how terrifying Belgium's steel output was. And without question, a large portion of Belgium's steel was exported to France.
The Belgian homeland was rich in coal resources, and its iron ore could basically meet demand. The Belgian Congo likewise possessed relatively abundant iron ore resources. Combined with French demand, these were the main driving forces behind the current development of Belgium's steel industry.
Of course, iron ore from Belgium's colonies was also one of East Africa's important sources of imported ore. Cabinda's steel industry depended heavily on iron ore from the Belgian Congo.
"Besides meeting basic industrial and civilian needs, the current direction of our nation's steel industry has also seen tremendous progress in special steels. During the First Five-Year Plan, steel smelting technology continued to advance, and multiple alloy steels achieved mass production, laying a solid foundation for industries such as our national defense sector and shipbuilding. In terms of quality, we have rapidly caught up with other nations."
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the steel industry was undergoing enormous changes. Besides iron ore surpassing coal in importance within the steel industry, the large-scale production of alloy steel was another key feature.
Alloy steel was steel with elements such as chromium, nickel, and tungsten added to it. Chromium increased hardness and elasticity; nickel improved corrosion resistance and increased yield strength; tungsten not only strengthened steel, but also made it corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant, and wear-resistant. Adding multiple materials to steel could improve its performance by a great margin.
Artillery made from alloy steel could withstand higher barrel temperatures and greater chamber pressure. More propellant could be used, and gun