Steel
Steel applications
Steel is a cornerstone of the global economy, essential to industries such as construction, automotive, and mechanical engineering. Throughout the iron and steel production process, minerals play a critical role in ensuring quality, efficiency, and environmental compliance.
At Lhoist, we supply calcium - and magnesium - based products used as binders and flux agents to form slag. This slag captures and removes impurities like silica, phosphorus, and sulfur - enhancing steel purity, improving productivity, and supporting more sustainable operations.
Iron ore agglomeration
Our experts are available to help you maximize the performance of your iron ore agglomeration plants, using our products for sinter and pellet making.
Hot-metal desulfurization
Flucal® is a fluidized milled quicklime. It is specially created for application in injection-based hot metal desulfurization (HMD) stations and can thus be used with both ladle and torpedo cars. The injection of a mixture of Flucal® and metallic magnesium into hot metal offers a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly alternative to calcium carbide-based HMD.
Crude steelmaking
Quality slag = Quality steel
Quicklime is an important active product for eliminating silica and phosphorus in both converters and electric arc furnaces. After having absorbed impurities, the lime forms a basic slag more quickly. Good quality lime produces a high-quality slag, an environmentally-friendly result that is easy to handle and treat.
Extended refractory life
You can enhance the steel refining process by adding soft- and/or hard-burnt dolime in either a pure form or in a lime-dolime mix. Dolime extends the lifespan of refractory linings in converters. It also protects them from the aggressive effects of certain impurities found in hot metals. Adding dolime creates MgO in solution in the slag. This provides excellent buffering capacity and promotes foaming. Excess MgO protects refractories and tap holes, reducing the need for gunning and repairs.
Secondary metallurgy
Swift slag formation
Tailored mixes of our lime and dolime ladle metallurgy products are used in the formation of synthetic slags. Quicklime facilitates the creation of slag and increases sulphur elimination. Dolime promotes swift slag formation and protects the refractory.
Increased productivity
Dolime increases process speed to boost productivity and improve the resulting steel. It also protects refractory linings and enables slag foaming in the EAF for better thermal efficiencies. The reduction in downtime required for refractory repair and maintenance also enhances productivity.
