The National University of Science and Technology MISIS has enhanced its method for predicting the quality of cast iron.

Despite the relevance of studying heavy metal behavior in blast furnace smelting, a comprehensive methodology has yet to be established. The conducted research is isolated, with each conducted according to an original author's method.

The metallurgical system forming in the blast furnace includes all types of media and features complex patterns of mass transfer processes. Modern blast furnace smelting is characterized by high intensity of processes in the furnace hearth and reduced contact time between pig iron and slag. The introduced GOST standard mandates the necessity of studying the behavior of trace elements in metallurgical processes. Therefore, developing a methodology for analyzing the behavior of heavy metals in the blast furnace process is one of the most pressing and scientifically intensive issues in contemporary ferrous metallurgy.

The tradition of studying trace elements was initiated at the Department of Ore Thermal Processes (now the Department of Energy-Efficient and Resource-Saving Industrial Technologies) at NITU MISIS by metallurgist Anatoly Pokhvisnev. In the 1980s, particular attention was paid to researching the behavior of zinc, alkali metals, and lead in blast furnace smelting. Later, regular studies began at MISIS University. Analysis of metallurgical raw materials and products under the conditions of Central Russia revealed the presence of up to 40 elements from the periodic table in quantities of 2–5 ppm and higher.

The concept of "element flow" was introduced, which analyzes the movement of an element throughout the entire production cycle, followed by the idea of a "global life cycle." Research has also been conducted at metallurgical plants such as Severstal, NLMK, Tulachermet, NTMK, Kosogorsky Metallurgical Plant, EKO-Stahl (Germany), Kardemir (Turkey), and Hadisolb (Egypt). As a result of these studies, it was found that pig iron produced in Russia contains between 20 to 28 impurity elements, totaling from 0.55 to 1.6 kg/t of pig iron.

Among the micro-impurities, circulating, alloying, and composite elements stand out. The issue of the first type holds a special place in modern ferrous metallurgy. Elements (copper, chromium, nickel, tin, molybdenum) gradually accumulate in the finished steel product through the cycle of "steel → scrap → steel." The trace elements entering the blast furnace distribute among pig iron, slag, blast furnace gas, dust, and sludge, becoming part of formations that develop in the furnace during operation. Trace elements can create circulation patterns within the furnace's internal space, and those entering the sludge accumulate in the cycle of "blast furnace → sludge → agglomeration → blast furnace."

As a result of research, four groups of trace elements have been identified. The first group behaves similarly to slag-forming elements (aluminum, calcium, magnesium) and virtually completely transitions to the oxide melt. Strontium is noted for its accumulation in sludge, while lanthanides and beryllium show a balance discrepancy. Elements of the second group distribute between the metallic and slag melts (similarly to manganese or silicon), while vanadium, arsenic, and phosphorus transition into the gas phase of the process. The third group elements almost completely convert into pig iron. In this case, nickel and gallium are noted for their transition into the gas phase. The fourth group elements typically enter the blast furnace only as part of the "mineral" portion of the charge, distributing between pig iron and the gas phase of the process.

Considering the peculiarities of trace element behavior allows for predicting the quality of the produced pig iron, assessing the accumulation of impurities in the cycle of "blast furnace → sludge → agglomeration → blast furnace," and evaluating the impact of harmful trace elements, primarily heavy metals, on the environment.