Extraction of Iron

• bonkysleuth

  15 Oct 09, 17:47

  Was reading through the extraction of iron and a question suddenly popped in my head. Why is the molten iron collected from blast furnace not pure? Remember doing this question before but can't recall the answer.

  Thanks

• dkcx

  15 Oct 09, 18:22

  Originally posted by bonkysleuth:

  Was reading through the extraction of iron and a question suddenly popped in my head. Why is the molten iron collected from blast furnace not pure? Remember doing this question before but can't recall the answer.

  Thanks

  There is still some C impurities from the extraction process if i didn't remember wrong

• Darkness_hacker99

  17 Oct 09, 10:20

  It's not 100% iron. Contained roughly 5% impurities

  The following stuff may not be found in your textbook.

   

  Those pig iron extracted from the blast furnace will be further processed by injecting liquid oxygen into the molten iron. Purpose? To remove impurities by formation of acidic oxide e.g. SO2, and also promote removal of excess carbon to form CO2. 

  Removal of C, means you'll get a Low-carbon steel.

   

  For more, read up at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_oxygen_steelmaking