Medium carbon ferromanganese is made from manganese ore as raw material and smelted in blast furnaces and electric furnaces. The density of manganese is 7.43 g/cm³, the melting point is 1245°C, and the boiling point is 2150°C. Manganese has a great affinity with oxygen and can form stable manganese oxide with oxygen.
In addition, ferromanganese, as an alloying element additive, can enhance the hardness, ductility, toughness and wear resistance of steel. It is widely used in structural steel, tool steel, stainless heat-resistant steel, wear-resistant steel and other alloy steels. Manganese also has the effect of desulfurizing and reducing the harmful effects of sulfur. Medium and low carbon ferromanganese can be divided into low carbon ferromanganese with a carbon content of less than 0.7% and medium carbon ferromanganese with a carbon content of 0.7%-2.0%.
In steelmaking, it is used as a deoxidizer and alloy additive, and is the most commonly used ferrous alloy. Manganese ore used for smelting ferromanganese generally requires a manganese content of 40 to 50%, a manganese-iron ratio greater than 7, and a phosphorus-manganese ratio less than 0.003. Before smelting, manganese carbonate ore must be roasted and the powdered ore must be sintered and agglomerated. Ores containing high iron and phosphorus can generally only be used together, or manganese-rich slag with low iron and low phosphorus can be produced through selective reduction. Coke is used as a reducing agent during smelting, and some factories also use lean coal or anthracite. The auxiliary raw material is mainly lime, and silica is generally added when smelting manganese-silicon alloy.
