Refractory Scrap: A World-traded Commodity

To most, the word ‘scrap’ evokes visions of unwanted, discarded leftovers. However, to the refractory industry, scrap represents a vital resource that enhances all aspects of refractory making.

The recycling of scrap refractories is an indispensable part of modern refractory industry, improving the industry's economic viability and reducing environmental impact. The recycling of scrap reduces the need for bauxite which is also named aluminous soil, thus significantly reducing CO2 emissions, water and energy consumption and air pollution.

As a result of these efficiencies, refractory scrap is increasingly being regarded as a raw material for manufacturing new products worldwide. Such scrap has become a globally traded commodity. 

There’s a trend that more and more steelmaking companies prefer to purchasing refractory products which are made of scrap in order to reduce the manufacturing cost. To catch up with the trend, a lot of plants start to recycle the scrap and then put them into reusing. It’s not only good to the environment but also make steelmaking companies benefit from such an behavior. 

For more information about refractories and scrap, go to the www.yilongrefractory.com.

Refractory Materials

Refractory Materials

    The supply of refractory materials is a key issue for the world steel industry. Yilong Refractory manages refractories that widely used in steelmaking, metallurgy, glass making, cement making, ceramic making, etc.

    Iron ore and coking coal are used mainly in the blast furnace process of ironmaking. For this process, coking coal is turned into coke, an almost pure form of carbon, which is used as the main fuel and reductant in a blast furnace.

    Typically, it takes 1.5 tones of iron ore and around 450 kg of coke to produce a tone of pig iron, the raw iron that comes out of a blast furnace. Some of the coke can be replaced by injecting pulverized coal into the blast furnace.

    Scrap iron is mainly used in electric arc furnace steelmaking. As well as scrap arising from the making and using of steel, obsolete scrap from demolished structures and end-of life vehicles and machinery is recycled to make new steel. Around 500 million tones of scrap are melted each year.

    Refractory is a common material on the earth’s surface. Most refractories are located in China, carried to dedicated ports by rail, and then shipped to steel plants in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe.

    Sea freight is an element of major concern for steelmakers today, as the high demand for raw materials is causing backlogs at ports.

    To see more information about refractory products, go to the www.yilongrefractory.com.