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Thermodynamic equilibrium in the steel industry - Slag and refractory

In what follows, we will focus on mixtures of liquid oxides (slags) and solid oxides (refractories). From a chemical point of view, slags are essentially composed of silica, alumina and lime. Minority elements play an important role in the exchange reactions between metal and slag. Fluorite (CaF₂) is sometimes added as a fluxing agent. The composition of refractories is more varied, since they can also be chromium- or magnesia-based.

A steelmaking slag is white and, in principle, contains no iron. In non-ferrous metal production, slag, which may contain iron, is black and is referred to as slag. Mattes are a mixture of molten sulfides, found in copper metallurgy, which form a liquid phase distinct from slag.