Blast Furnace

A large metallurgical furnace operating continuously at high temperatures to smelt iron ore, coke, and limestone to produce molten pig iron. The blast furnace is central to integrated steelmaking and is a major consumer of iron ore from mines. Iron ore in lump or pellet form is fed at the top, and hot air is blasted through tuyeres at the base, combusting coke to reduce iron oxides to metallic iron. Molten iron and slag are tapped periodically. Blast furnace quality requirements drive iron ore grade specifications demanded by steelmakers globally.