A sign at the British Steel Ltd. plant in Scunthorpe.

Ministers and government officials are in a race against time to save the long-term future of British Steel – despite MPs passing emergency legislation to keep it open.

Raw materials are desperately needed at the Scunthorpe site to keep its two blast furnaces operating.

Without those materials, such as coking coal and iron ore, the furnaces will cool, risking irreparable damage and the end of steelmaking in the UK.

It is understood that the raw materials are currently at a port 25 miles away from the plant, and must be paid for before they can be transported to Scunthorpe.

MPs were recalled to parliament on Saturday to pass a special law removing control of the plant from the Chinese firm Jingye and handing it to the government.

Jingye had not only stopped ordering raw materials but had begun selling off existing supplies, sparking concerns the plant could close within days.

That has led to claims........

© HuffPost