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Q&As since 1989


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Project: How ore is refined to make steel

Hi,

I am doing a project on different types of metal so I thought I will start with mild steel Can you answer my questions please 1) What is the main type of ore used to make mild steel? 2) how do you refine the ore to make mild steel? 3) how do you use the ore to make the steel?

Ashley M.
Student - Tarauga, Mount Maganui, New Zealand
2003

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What is the project, Ashley? In other words, if I do the research on these 3 questions for you, what do you do other than signing your name on it? People will be happy to help you over the minor stumbling blocks standing in the way of your completing you project; but if you are just asking someone else to do your homework for you, that would be a shame. I think you are supposed to ask the librarian for an age-appropriate book on metals and leaf through it.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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2003

Ashley,

Poor Old Ted gets lots of queries like yours where either your teacher hasn't given you enough info and told you where to go (i.e., the LIBRARY!) or you are too damned lazy and want others to do your research ... but as I have N.Z. relatives, then I'll try to help you.

STEEL ... Steel comes from iron ore. That is an ore with a sufficient amount of ferric compounds to make it economically feasible to mine.

Then it goes to a blast furnace and, mixed with lime and coke (sic. charcoal) turns into pig iron ... or, if it has a high Phosphorous content (unwanted in steel) it goes to a Bessemer Converter to make a low grade steel.

Pig iron from the blast furnace is treated in open hearth furnaces to remove excess sulfur and Phosphorous and to reduce the carbon content, otherwise it gets brittle.

But if a Bessemer Converter is 'lanced' with oxygen instead of ordinary air, ah, you'll get a pretty good steel. Questions answered? Next time, go thou to the library, OK?

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).

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2003

Ashley,

I agree that the library is best, and for something as specific as what you want you'll likely do best asking a librarian for help. Yet there are some good sources on the web. Try www.steel.org, specifically in their "Learning Center" for some nice diagrams which helps to explain some of the words.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York