The invention relates to fluxing agents for the agglomeration process based on slag from the secondary metallurgy, the use of these fluxing agents in the process of agglomeration in the manufacture of the agglomerate designed for the use as a metallic charge in blast furnaces and a process of production of fluxing agents based on slag from the secondary metallurgy or based on a mixture of slag from the secondary metallurgy with other materials.

An immersion probe with a variable connection length is configured to compensate for longitudinal and/or radial length variations in an immersion sublance connected to the immersion probe. The immersion probe is characterized by an adjustable portion that changes length upon engagement with a coupling end of an immersion sublance. The immersion probe can have a sensor head. An immersion assembly of the immersion probe connected to an immersion sublance can be used to take measurements or samples of molten metal in a converter furnace.

An immersion probe with a variable connection length is configured to compensate for longitudinal and/or radial length variations in an immersion sublance connected to the immersion probe. The immersion probe is characterized by an adjustable portion that changes length upon engagement with a coupling end of an immersion sublance. The immersion probe can have a sensor head. An immersion assembly of the immersion probe connected to an immersion sublance can be used to take measurements or samples of molten metal in a converter furnace.

Methods and compositions for producing reduced carbon footprint steel compositions by providing a molten steel having a carbon content; and introducing a carbon containing agent into the molten steel. At least a portion of the carbon containing agent is a reclaimed olefin coke.

A molten bath-based direct smelting process comprises controlling the process conditions in a direct smelting vessel so that molten slag in a molten bath of metal and slag in the vessel has a viscosity in a range of 0.5-5 poise when the slag temperature is in the range of 1400-1550 C. in the molten bath in the vessel.

A molten bath-based direct smelting process comprises controlling the process conditions in a direct smelting vessel so that molten slag in a molten bath of metal and slag in the vessel has a viscosity in a range of 0.5-5 poise when the slag temperature is in the range of 1400-1550 C. in the molten bath in the vessel.

A slag conditioning agent for steel desulfurization is shown which is made by a process in which a dried slag material obtained from a secondary steelmaking process is mixed with quicklime particles. The quicklime particles react with moisture in the slag material to dry the slag material and produce a blend of slag material, hydrated lime and any unreacted quicklime. The blend is then sieved to separate out the hydrated lime. The retained dried fraction after sieving is then mixed with an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 mass fraction from which the slag conditioning agent can be collected. The slag conditioning agent has an equivalent mass ratio which is between 0.55 and 1.5.

A method for dephosphorization of molten iron includes, while blowing a hydrogen gas, a hydrocarbon gas, or a mixture of these gases into molten iron held in a vessel, supplying a slag-forming agent and an oxygen source to perform a dephosphorization treatment of the molten iron and obtain dephosphorized molten iron, and after the dephosphorization treatment, separating slag floating on a surface of the dephosphorized molten iron from the dephosphorized molten iron. In this method for dephosphorization of molten iron, before the dephosphorization treatment, when obtaining molten iron by melting a cold iron source in a melting furnace and discharging the molten iron from the melting furnace into the vessel, one or both of the following are performed: separating generated slag from the molten iron before the discharge; and separating slag that has flowed into the vessel along with the molten iron from the molten iron.

A method for dephosphorization of molten iron includes, while blowing a hydrogen gas, a hydrocarbon gas, or a mixture of these gases into molten iron held in a vessel, supplying a slag-forming agent and an oxygen source to perform a dephosphorization treatment of the molten iron and obtain dephosphorized molten iron, and after the dephosphorization treatment, separating slag floating on a surface of the dephosphorized molten iron from the dephosphorized molten iron. In this method for dephosphorization of molten iron, before the dephosphorization treatment, when obtaining molten iron by melting a cold iron source in a melting furnace and discharging the molten iron from the melting furnace into the vessel, one or both of the following are performed: separating generated slag from the molten iron before the discharge; and separating slag that has flowed into the vessel along with the molten iron from the molten iron.

A slag conditioner for electric arc furnace steel production comprising a carbonate-containing material with the balance being a reducing agent that comprises a reducing element that is easily oxidized in an exothermic reaction. The slag conditioner may further include carbonaceous material and/or an MgO-containing material. The slag conditioners may be in particulate, pellet, or briquette form. Also, a method of conditioning the slag in an electric arc furnace where steel in being produced, the method comprising introducing the particulate or pellet slag conditioners into the slag or into an interface between the slag and the molten metal or charging the briquette slag conditioners into the top of the furnace.