Methods and systems for producing are disclosed. A method for producing iron, for example, comprises: providing an iron-containing ore to a dissolution subsystem comprising a first electrochemical cell; wherein the first anolyte has a different composition than the first catholyte; dissolving at least a portion of the iron-containing ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution having dissolved first Fe.sup.3+ ions; providing at least a portion of the acidic iron-salt solution to the first cathodic chamber; first electrochemically reducing said first Fe.sup.3+ ions in the first catholyte to form Fe.sup.2+ ions; transferring the formed Fe.sup.2+ ions from the dissolution subsystem to an iron-plating subsystem having a second electrochemical cell; second electrochemically reducing a first portion of the transferred formed Fe.sup.2+ ions to Fe metal at a second cathode of the second electrochemical cell; and removing the Fe metal.

Methods and systems for producing iron from an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method for producing iron comprises: providing an iron-containing ore to a dissolution subsystem comprising a first electrochemical cell and a dissolution tank; dissolving the iron-containing ore to form an acidic iron-salt solution; reducing Fe.sup.3+ ions to form Fe.sup.2+ ions and electrochemically generating protons in the first electrochemical cell; circulating solution between the dissolution tank and the first electrochemical cell; transferring formed Fe.sup.2+ ions from the dissolution subsystem to an iron-plating subsystem having a second electrochemical cell; second electrochemically reducing a first portion of the transferred formed Fe.sup.2+ ions to Fe metal at a second cathode of the second electrochemical cell; and removing the Fe metal. The methods and systems optionally include removing one or more impurities found in the feedstock.

Methods and systems for dissolving an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method of processing and dissolving an iron-containing ore comprises: thermally reducing one or more non-magnetite iron oxide materials in the iron-containing ore to form magnetite in the presence of a reductant, thereby forming thermally-reduced ore; and dissolving at least a portion of the thermally-reduced ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution; wherein the acidic iron-salt solution comprises protons electrochemically generated in an electrochemical cell.

This disclosure describes methods for improving the performance and consistency of steels by closely controlling the initial homogenization of steel compositions prior to hot working. Experimental data is provided illustrating that the traditional austenitization techniques do not take into account diffusion of the various components within a steel composition and, as such, may not completely homogenize the steel composition. In the methods described in this disclosure, the initial step of austenitizing the steel ingot is altered to achieve a more homogenous distribution of the different components throughout the ingot. The improved method includes heating the steel composition to a temperature within the upper half of the pure austenitic phase temperature range and maintaining the steel composition at that temperature for a period of time determined based on the diffusivity in the austenitic phase of the steel composition of at least one constituent of the steel.

Methods and systems for dissolving an iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method of processing and dissolving an iron-containing ore comprises: thermally reducing one or more non-magnetite iron oxide materials in the iron-containing ore to form magnetite in the presence of a reductant, thereby forming thermally-reduced ore; and dissolving at least a portion of the thermally-reduced ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution; wherein the acidic iron-salt solution comprises protons electrochemically generated in an electrochemical cell.

Methods and systems for producing are disclosed. A method for producing iron, for example, comprises: providing an iron-containing ore to a dissolution subsystem comprising a first electrochemical cell; wherein the first anolyte has a different composition than the first catholyte; dissolving at least a portion of the iron-containing ore using an acid to form an acidic iron-salt solution having dissolved first Fe.sup.3+ ions; providing at least a portion of the acidic iron-salt solution to the first cathodic chamber; first electrochemically reducing said first Fe.sup.3+ ions in the first catholyte to form Fe.sup.2+ ions; transferring the formed Fe.sup.2+ ions from the dissolution subsystem to an iron-plating subsystem having a second electrochemical cell; second electrochemically reducing a first portion of the transferred formed Fe.sup.2+ ions to Fe metal at a second cathode of the second electrochemical cell; and removing the Fe metal.

A smelting vessel (4) for producing molten metal includes a refractory lined hearth that in use is in contact with molten slag or molten metal in the smelting vessel, and the hearth includes a plurality of heat pipes (2.1) positioned in a refractory lining of at least a part of the hearth for cooling the refractory lining.

Plant for melting metal materials comprising at least a heating unit (11) provided with a container (13) to contain the mainly metal materials and with at least an induction heating device (22) configured to heat the mainly metal materials contained in the container (13). The plant also comprises a transfer unit (25) disposed downstream of the heating unit (11) and configured to move, substantially continuously, the mainly metal solid materials exiting from the heating unit (11) to a melting furnace (12). The container (13) is provided with an aperture (16) through which the mainly metal material, heated and in a solid state, is discharged onto the transfer unit (25), and opening/closing members (17) are associated with the aperture (16), commanded by an actuator (19) and configured to open, close and choke the aperture (16) in order to regulate the delivery of the metal materials that is discharged onto the transfer unit (25).

A melting unit for melting down casting materials and a method for producing molten material for casting.

Methods and systems for producing iron from an iron-containing ore and removing impurities found in the iron-containing ore are disclosed. For example, a method for producing iron comprises providing a feedstock having an iron-containing ore and one or more impurities to a dissolution subsystem comprising a first electrochemical cell; producing an iron-rich solution, in the dissolution subsystem; treating the iron-rich solution to remove at least a portion of one or more impurities by raising a pH of the iron-rich solution from an initial pH to an adjusted pH thereby precipitating at least a portion of the one or more impurities in the treated iron-rich solution; delivering the treated iron-rich solution to an iron-plating subsystem having a second electrochemical cell; second electrochemically reducing at least a first portion of the transferred formed Fe.sup.2+ ions to Fe metal; and removing the Fe metal from the second electrochemical cell thereby producing iron.