A method for producing metal alloys. The method allows the production of metal alloys consisting of at least two metals having a high melting point difference. Here, the higher melting metal is melted first and the lower melting metal is melted with a delay by means of heat transfer whereupon the metals mix together. This enables to obtain metal alloys with high purity and low evaporation losses, which in particular allow the use of contaminated starting components such as recycled metal.

A method is disclosed for the operationally reliable production of a cold-rolled flat steel product of ?0.5 mm in thickness for deep-drawing and ironing applications. In the method, a steel melt which (in wt %) comprises up to 0.008% C, up to 0.005% Al, up to 0.043% Si, 0.15-0.5% Mn, up to 0.02% P, up to 0.03% S, up to 0.020% N and in each case optionally up to 0.03% Ti and up to 0.03% Nb and, as a remainder, iron and unavoidable impurities, is, with the omission of a Ca treatment, subjected to a secondary metallurgical treatment which, in addition to a vacuum treatment, comprises a ladle furnace treatment and during which the steel melt to be treated is kept under a slag, the Mn and Fe contents of which are, in sum total, <15 wt %. From the steel melt, a thin slab or a cast strip are produced, which are subsequently hot-rolled to form a hot strip with a thickness of <2.5 mm and wound to form a coil. Subsequently, the hot strips are cold-rolled to form a flat steel product of up to 0.5 mm in thickness.

A method is disclosed for the operationally reliable production of a cold-rolled flat steel product of ?0.5 mm in thickness for deep-drawing and ironing applications. In the method, a steel melt which (in wt %) comprises up to 0.008% C, up to 0.005% Al, up to 0.043% Si, 0.15-0.5% Mn, up to 0.02% P, up to 0.03% S, up to 0.020% N and in each case optionally up to 0.03% Ti and up to 0.03% Nb and, as a remainder, iron and unavoidable impurities, is, with the omission of a Ca treatment, subjected to a secondary metallurgical treatment which, in addition to a vacuum treatment, comprises a ladle furnace treatment and during which the steel melt to be treated is kept under a slag, the Mn and Fe contents of which are, in sum total, <15 wt %. From the steel melt, a thin slab or a cast strip are produced, which are subsequently hot-rolled to form a hot strip with a thickness of <2.5 mm and wound to form a coil. Subsequently, the hot strips are cold-rolled to form a flat steel product of up to 0.5 mm in thickness.

Processes for producing low-nitrogen metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloys, which prevent the nitrogen in the surrounding atmosphere from being carried into the melt and being absorbed by the metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloy during the metallothermic reaction, include vacuum-degassing a thermite mixture comprising metal compounds and metallic reducing powders contained within a vacuum vessel, igniting the thermite mixture to effect reduction of the metal compounds within the vessel under reduced pressure i.e., below 1 bar, and conducting the entire reduction reaction in said vessel under reduced pressure, including solidification and cooling, to produce a final product with a nitrogen content below 10 ppm. The final products obtained, in addition to low-nitrogen metallic chromium in combination with other elements, can be used as raw materials in the manufacture of superalloys, stainless steel and other specialty steels whose final content of nitrogen is below 10 ppm.

Processes for producing low-nitrogen metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloys, which prevent the nitrogen in the surrounding atmosphere from being carried into the melt and being absorbed by the metallic chromium or chromium-containing alloy during the metallothermic reaction, include vacuum-degassing a thermite mixture comprising metal compounds and metallic reducing powders contained within a vacuum vessel, igniting the thermite mixture to effect reduction of the metal compounds within the vessel under reduced pressure i.e., below 1 bar, and conducting the entire reduction reaction in said vessel under reduced pressure, including solidification and cooling, to produce a final product with a nitrogen content below 10 ppm. The final products obtained, in addition to low-nitrogen metallic chromium in combination with other elements, can be used as raw materials in the manufacture of superalloys, stainless steel and other specialty steels whose final content of nitrogen is below 10 ppm.

Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.

Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.

Refined niobium-based ferroalloys are provided by removing lead and other impurities therefrom by a process comprising charging niobium ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide or a mixture of niobium oxides to a metallothermic reaction chamber, admixing the ore concentrate and/or niobium oxide with a reducing agent, initiating a metallothermic reaction, under reduced pressure; and allowing the reaction product to solidify and cool; crushing the reaction product or crushing the niobium-based ferroalloy ore concentrate previously reduced in open air, and charging the crushed product to a melting crucible within a vacuum induction melting furnace, lowering the pressure within the furnace to below 1 mbar, and melting the crushed product while vaporizing the impurities contained therein.

Metal compositions and production processes are described. A process for the production of a metal composition includes a first distillation step separating off by evaporation primarily lead from a solder mixture of lead, tin, and antimony, thereby producing as a first concentrated lead stream. The process includes a second distillation step separating primarily lead and antimony from the metal composition, thereby producing a second concentrated lead stream and a second bottom product. The method also includes a third distillation step separating primarily lead and antimony from the second concentrated lead stream, thereby producing a third concentrated lead stream and a third bottom product.

A method and an equipment for the treatment of molten aluminium metal, in particular Na removal in a tapping/transport crucible (1) provided with a lid (6). The atmosphere above the molten metal is sub-pressurized to a sub pressure between 300-10 mbar and subsequently exposed to a stirring action generated by an electromagnetic coil (EMS) arranged towards one side of the tapping/transport crucible (1), whereby Na can be removed from the molten aluminium metal without any addition of active or passive agents.