Ferrochromium Smelting Technology

One effective method of reducing the cost of making refined grades of ferrochromium is the use of inexpensive silicon-aluminum reducing agents obtained from wastes formed in the coal-mining industry. A silicon-aluminum alloy is used to reduce chromium ore. In the course of smelting with the complex silicon-aluminum alloy, melting of the charge materials is accompanied by the reaction of magnesia-bearing chromium spinel with the aluminum of the reducing agent. The chromium-magnesia spinel subsequently decomposes. The reaction increases the speed and completeness of the reduction of chromium from the spinel thanks to the presence of silicon in the ferrosilicon-aluminum that is used in the process.