Estimated raw steel production in Indiana and the Chicago area -- the nation's second-largest steel producing region -- was 373,000 tons during the week ending Dec. 19, down from the 436,000 tons produced the week prior, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

The lower tally could be a reflection of the United States Steel Corp.'s decision to take the No. 14 blast furnace at Gary Works off line.

During an October conference call with analysts, U.S. Steel CEO John Surma said equipment and personnel to shut down the blast furnace would be in place in December and the furnace would be brought back on line in the first quarter of 2010.

Surma said the repairs would be done to bring "the furnace back to its full abilities."

Company and union officials would not comment on the matter Tuesday.

Production in the Southern District, the nation's largest steel-producing region, was estimated at 487,000 tons during the same period, up from the 471,000 tons produced a week earlier.

Domestic mills produced 1.5 million tons of steel last week, up 51.7 percent from the 975,000 tons made during the same period in 2008. U.S. steel mills operated at 62 percent capacity last week versus 64.9 percent capacity during the previous week.

For the year to date, U.S. steel mills produced 63.4 million tons of steel versus 98.6 million tons during the comparable 2008 period.