Study on production of low carbon ferrochrome from chromite concentrate

Abstract

Low carbon ferro chrome is used in the manufacturing of stainless steel and in many grades of alloy steels where % of chromium has to be adjusted without affecting the carbon content of alloy. It also found its application in welding electrodes and stick electrodes. Ferro-chrome is normally produced from lump chromite ores in the electric arc furnace. Majority of the lump ore is very lean (~30% Cr) in nature. Production of low carbon ferro-chrome requires use of high-grade chromite ores; but these are fragile and tend to form fines during handling. In the experiments, chromite concentrate produced after mineral beneficiation with fluxes was smelted 50 KVA electric arc furnace at 1600 – 1800 oC to produce low carbon ferro-chrome. Low carbon ferro-chrome of composition 63-65%Cr, 34-35% Fe, 0.1-0.3%C, 0.5-1% Si was produced with chromium recovery ~ 85% and metallic yield ~80%.