The invention relates to a thermal lance (1) having adequate flexibility and concentrated effective heating capacity for the fusion cutting and/or piercing of any type of material, for example, for piercing and opening tapping passages in melting furnaces that use plugs made of clay or mixtures of, inter alia, alumina, silica and carbon. The thermal lance comprises at least four tubular profiles, one disposed externally and three disposed internally, and more than seventeen cavities housed inside said lance, wherein at least two of said four tubular profiles have different cross-sections, wherein each tubular profile is disposed in a contiguous manner in relation to the other tubular profiles, and wherein each tubular profile is selected from tubular profiles having a circular, square, triangular, hexagonal, oval, or multi-point star-shaped cross-section. The invention also relates to the use of the thermal lance for the fusion cutting and/or piercing of any type of material.

A device for igniting oxygen thermal lances or melting lances may include: a cartridge configured to couple to an operating end of a thermal or melting lance, configured to be supplied with oxygen to ignite the lance, and containing high calorific value material; and an induction heater assembly configured to heat the cartridge, such that the high calorific value material is burnt before supplying the oxygen into the cartridge to ignite the lance. The cartridge may include: a first end configured to couple to an operating end of a lance; and a second end having one or more axial holes for passing oxygen into the cartridge. An assembly for igniting oxygen thermal lances or melting lances may include: the device; the lance coupled to an end of the cartridge; a robotic arm configured to handle the lance; and a supply of oxygen in fluid communication with the lance and cartridge.