EXHIBIT 8.1

                             MAYER, BROWN & PLATT

                                January 26, 1999

Inland Steel Industries, Inc.
30 West Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois  60603

     Re:  Inland Steel Industries, Inc. -- Registration No. 333-71149

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as special counsel to Inland Steel Industries, Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Inland"), in connection with the corporate proceedings
taken and to be taken relating to the merger of RT Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Inland, with and into Ryerson Tull, Inc. ("Ryerson Tull"),
with Ryerson Tull being the surviving corporation (the "Merger"), and conversion
of each share of Ryerson Tull Class A Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share
(including the associated preferred stock purchase rights issued pursuant to the
Rights Agreement, dated as of June 10, 1996, between Ryerson Tull and Harris
Trust and Savings Bank, as the Rights Agent), issued and outstanding at the
effective time of the Merger into 0.61 shares of common stock, par value $1.00
per share, of Inland (including the associated preferred stock purchase rights
issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 25, 1997, between
Inland and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as the Rights Agent, as amended).  We
have also participated in the preparation and filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of a
registration statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-71149) (the
"Registration Statement") relating to the Merger.  In connection therewith, we
have prepared the discussion set forth under the caption "The Merger Agreement
and the Merger -- Material Federal Income Tax Considerations" (the "Discussion")
in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (the "Proxy Statement/Prospectus") that is
part of the Registration Statement filed by Inland with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

     In rendering our opinion, we have examined the Agreement and Plan of Merger
by and among Inland, RT Merger Sub, Inc. and Ryerson Tull dated as of October
27, 1998 included as Annex A to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (the "Merger
Agreement"), and have assumed that the Merger will take place in accordance with
the Merger Agreement.  We hereby confirm our opinion as set forth in the
Discussion, which contains the material United States federal income tax
consequences of the Merger.

     This opinion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder,
the interpretation of the Code and such regulations by the courts and the
Internal Revenue Service, as they are in effect and exist at the date of this
opinion.  It should be noted that laws, regulations, judicial decisions and
administrative interpretations are subject to change at any time and, in some
circumstances, with retroactive effect.  A material change that is made after
the date hereof in any of the foregoing bases for our opinion could adversely
affect our conclusion.

 
Inland Steel Industries, Inc.
January 26, 1999
Page 2

     We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and to the reference to us under the captions "The Merger Agreement
and the Merger -- Material Federal Income Tax Considerations" and "Additional
Information -- Legal Matters" therein.

                              Very truly yours,


                              MAYER, BROWN & PLATT