Ferrochrome is smelted in a reduction electric furnace, using coke as a reducing agent and silica or bauxite as a flux. The slag composition is generally 27-33% SiO2, 30-34% MgO, 26-30% Al2O3, and <9.0% Cr2O3. Due to the formation of chromium carbide, the product contains 4-9% carbon. Modern reduction electric furnaces for ferrochrome smelting have capacities of 10,000-48,000 kVA, are generally enclosed and fixed, and consume 3,000-4,000 kWh/ton of electricity.
Electric furnaces for smelting silicon-chromium alloys are similar to those for ferrochrome reduction, and there are two smelting methods: one-step and two-step. The one-step method uses ferrochrome ore, silica, coke, and flux. The two-step method uses carbon ferrochrome, silica, and coke as raw materials in a slag-free smelting process, which is largely similar to ferrosilicon production. The electricity consumption is approximately 3,000-4,000 kWh/ton.
