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.