Innovative Transformation and Valorisation of Red Mill Scale Waste into Ferroalloys: Carbothermic Reduction in the Presence of Alumina

Primary and secondary mill scales (MSs) are waste products produced by the surface oxidation of steel during the hot (800 to 1200 degrees C) rolling process in downstream steelmaking. While the primary MS is comprised of FeO, Fe3O4, and Fe2O3 in a range of proportions, the secondary MS primarily contain red ferric oxide (Fe2O3) (red MS). We report a novel route for extracting iron from red MS and transforming it into ferro-aluminium alloys using carbothermic reduction in the presence of alumina. The red MS powder was blended with high-purity alumina (Al2O3) and synthetic graphite (C) in a range of proportions. The carbothermic reduction of red MS-Al2O3-C blends was carried out at 1450 degrees C and 1550 degrees C under an argon atmosphere for 30 min and then furnace-cooled. The red MS was completely reduced to iron at these temperatures with reduced iron distributed around the matrix as small droplets. However, the addition of alumina unexpectedly resulted in a significant increase in the number and sizes of iron droplets generated, much higher reactivity, and the formation of ferrous alloys. A small amount of alumina reduction into metallic aluminium was also observed at 1450 degrees C. There is an urgent need to identify the true potential of industrial waste and the materials within it. This study showed that red MS is a valuable material source that could be transformed into ferro-aluminium alloys. These alloys find application in a range of industrial sectors such as construction, automotive, infrastructure, etc.