Replacement of fluorspar in the desulfurization of hot metal

Abstract In the steel industry, lime is used as a desulfurizing agent and fluorspar as flux in the hot metal desulfurization process. However there are environmental concerns regarding the use of fluorspar, even when its harmful effects are not fully known. In order to reduce such risks and also to anticipate possible future restrictions, which could undermine the sustainability of steel production, it is proposed to replace the fluorspar for alternative materials in the composition of the desulfurizing lime based mixture. For this purpose new mixtures using aluminum dross, ilmenite, sodalite ...