Valorization of BOF Steel Slag by Reduction and Phase Modification: Metal Recovery and Slag Valorization

Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel slag is a main byproduct in steelmaking, and its valorization is therefore of considerable interest, from a metal-recovery perspective and from a residue-utilization perspective. In the present study, the carbothermic reduction of BOF slag was investigated systematically. The reductions of Fe- and P-containing phases (i.e., oxide and compounds) are discussed. Effects of Al2O3 and SiO2 additions on the solidification microstructure and mineralogy associated with the reduction processes were also investigated. The formation and growth of the extracted metallic phase are discussed, and the mineralogy of the residue slag is determined. We conclude that by controlling the additions under a rapid cooling condition, it is possible to extract metallic iron as high-grade metal and simultaneously to utilize the remaining slag for construction applications.