The market for ferrosilicon is gaining traction due to its applications in the manufacturing of steel. It is used as a deoxidizer and alloy agent, which help in the production of high-quality steel at an affordable price. It also acts as a heat-producing agent in the cast iron industry. Increasing demand for steel products in developing economies is expected to fuel growth in the ferrosilicon market during the forecast period.
Ferrosilicon is a mineral that contains iron and magnesium in small amounts. It is added to molten iron to increase the strength of the metal and also increases its ductility.
It is used as a raw material in the manufacture of spheroidal graphite iron and ductile iron. It helps in transforming flake graphite into spherical graphite and is the key ingredient in nodularizing the ductile iron. It also has the function of deoxidizing and desulfurization.
FeSi can be sized in a number of ways, including gas atomization (exxaro), water atomization and angular milling. These processes can affect the properties of the medium, including sphericity, size distribution, and longevity of the product.
Sizing the FeSi is essential for achieving the correct medium make-up for various types of ores, including porous ones. The sizing of the ferrosilicon needs to be carefully considered in order to maximize the recovery of the rare earths and other valuable materials that are trapped within the ore particles during the DMS process.
The sizing of commercial ferrosilicon can vary from coarser grades for coarser particle separations in DMDs running at high RDs to finer grades for finer ores treated in DMCs. The most common sizing is between 0.1 and 0.3mm.
This grade is generally the preferred grade for a wide variety of applications, including the sizing of alumina/magnetite ores in DMCs and silica fume ores in DMDs. A large variety of grades are available and the best choice is determined by the characteristics of each specific ore.
Ferrosilicon has a very low melting point, so it is able to melt into a solid in the furnace, resulting in an alloy with excellent fluidity and hot formability characteristics. This is a critical factor for use in the production of spheroidal graphite cast iron and ductile iron, as the material must be able to flow smoothly into the sintering process.
In addition, it has a very low thermal conductivity, which reduces its energy consumption during the process of nodularizing. This makes it an ideal additive for spheroidal graphite cast steel and ductile iron.
As a result, it can be widely used in a number of different industrial applications and is the perfect substitute for anthracite. Moreover, the retort process can be easily scaled up to produce very large quantities of the raw material.
The global ferrosilicon market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 2.2%, in terms of revenue, over the forecast period. The market is driven by the increase in demand from end-user industries such as carbon and other alloy steel, stainless steel, electrical steel, and cast iron. Furthermore, growing investments in the development of infrastructure and infrastructural projects across the globe are boosting demand for ferrosilicon.
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