Uncovering the key features of iron metabolism in Pakistan from 2005 to 2020: A dynamic material flow analysis

Iron is a crucial metal for Pakistan's growth, especially in its infrastructure and industrial sectors. However, the key features of iron metabolism are still unclear in this country, which makes it difficult to prepare appropriate iron management policies. In order to fill this knowledge gap, we employ a dynamic material flow analysis method to uncover the key features of iron metabolism in Pakistan for the period of 2005–2020. The result shows that a total of 2.057 Mt of iron ore was extracted during this study period. Pakistan heavily relied on importing iron resources to meet its demand, mainly from China (13.14 %), Japan (6.86 %), the United Arab Emirates (6.24 %), and the United Kingdom (6.27 %). Meanwhile, China (43.5 %) and the United Arab Emirates (19.82 %) are the top two buyers of Pakistan's iron-related products. In addition, our results indicate that iron recycling was insufficient in Pakistan, with a recycling rate of only 15 %. Finally, several policy recommendations are proposed by considering the Pakistan's reality in order to enhance the overall iron resource efficiency.