Blast furnace operating results with a 95% mill scale burden

Conclusion

Operation of a commercial blast furnace, at least one of the size described here, with a burden of 95 to 100% mill scale is both feasible and economical. The furnace operated well, much better than with run of mine ores. Economically, the success was twofold. First, the manufacturing cost was well below that of regular basic iron, mainly because the scale was charged in with only freight and handling costs since it had been considered as waste. Second, the electric furnace shop is realizing a saving in a substitute for higher priced scrap and other nickel- and chrome-bearing materials.

This approach is especially practical for the Central Alloy District of Republic Steel Corp., considering that a new all-electric shop is now under construction in the Canton plant. The future for both the Massillon and Canton blast furnaces otherwise appears very dim. Mill scale produced in the Central Alloy District is not usable in other furnaces in the corporation, because of the different types of steel they produce.