Desulphurization of Hot Metal and Ferronickel With Calcium Aluminate Fluxes

Traditionally, fluxes containing calcium fluoride and other additives are used for the treatment of hot metal and molten steel. Recently, magnesium powder or lime-Mg mixture is used more popularly in hot metal desulphurization. However, the use of calcium fluoride has been restricted due to environmental concerns, and the supply of magnesium is uncertain for the countries, which are short of magnesium resource. For those reasons, calcium aluminate fluxes are a possible alternative to replace slags containing calcium fluoride or magnesium. Calcium aluminate fluxes can be produced from three different raw materials: (1) high-quality bauxite, (2) residuals from aluminum dross treatment processes and (3) waste products from alumina production. Due to the limited amount and high cost associated with high-quality bauxite, the other two sources are preferred based on both economic and environmental considerations. The objective of this paper is to examine the use of waste slags and by-products from the aluminum industry as potential refining fluxes for the steel industry so that waste disposal from the aluminum industry can be reduced with economical and environmental benefits for both industrial sectors.