ABSTRACT
Complex oxides such as chromite, ilmenite or oxide mixtures, are reduced to metals, alloys, and/or valuable slags. Reduction is conducted in two ways: Selectively and Nonselectively. Non selective reduction method is used mainly for: Manufacture of ferroalloys needed for the steel industry, manufacture of cheap reducing agents, example ferrosilicon, mischmetall and recovery of metals from ores, example aluminum from clays or low-grade bauxite, and cobalt from certain ores. Reducing agents generally used for this purpose are carbon, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. When carbon is used, reduction is conducted in a blast furnace or electric furnace. When aluminum or ferrosilicon are used, reduction is conducted in a bomb reactor. Fluxes such as fluorspar are sometimes added to lower the melting point of the charge. Few other processes involving the nonselective reduction of oxide mixture have been tested on a pilot scale.
