Iron and steel plants are rarely set up far from their raw material sources. Using the nature and weight of t…

Question

Iron and steel plants are rarely set up far from their raw material sources. Using the nature and weight of the inputs (iron ore, coal, limestone) and the bulk of the finished product, explain why transport costs are a dominant factor in the location decisions of such industries.

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Iron ore, coal, and limestone are required in a 4:2:1 ratio — all heavy and bulky — making transportation costs very high, so plants must locate near raw material sources to minimise costs. ## Explanation The key phrase from the textbook is: *"Iron and steel is a heavy industry because all the raw materials as well as finished goods are heavy and bulky entailing heavy transportation costs."* For 1 mark, just link the heavy/bulky nature of inputs (and the 4:2:1 ratio) directly to high transport costs and proximity to sources. No elaboration needed.

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question