Phosphorus

: COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF STEEL
: The Working Of Steel

PHOSPHORUS is an element (symbol P) which enters the metal from

the ore. It remains in the steel when made by the so-called acid

process, but it can be easily eliminated down to 0.06 per cent

in the basic process. In fact the discovery of the basic process

was necessary before the huge iron deposits of Belgium and the

Franco-German border could be used. These ores contain several

per cent phosphorus, and made a very brittle steel (cold short)

until basic furnaces were used. Basic furnaces allow the formation

of a slag high in lime, which takes practically all the phosphorus

out of the metal. Not only is the resulting metal usable, but the

slag makes a very excellent fertilizer, and is in good demand.



More

;