o2 Minerals is a reliable supplier of raw materials for the metallurgical industry and non-ferrous metals. Our portfolio of supplied raw materials includes metallic manganese, an extensive range of ferroalloys, including ferrotitanium, ferromolybdenum (with a molybdenum content of 50 to 70%), ferrosilicon, ferrovanadium (with a vanadium content of 35 to 80%) and ferrotungsten, as well as copper and aluminium. 

METAL MANGANESE

Manganese ferroalloy is a ferrous metal, it contains at least 95% manganese. It is superior to iron in hardness and brittleness. Manganese metal is used to remove various impurities from steel, as well as to increase its strength and wear resistance. Under the influence of the environment, manganese metal can oxides, therefore, during production it is covered with a special film that protects against oxidation.

Metallic manganese is actively used in ferrous metallurgy as steel deoxidiser, for iron desulfurization, as well as in the production of rheostats, ball mills, stone crushers and earth-moving machines.

NON-FERROUS METALS

COPPER

This type non-ferrous metal is produced from sulphide ores.

Corrosion resistance, low melting point, high ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity allows the metal to be used for industrial purposes. Copper is used in the production of seamless pipes for heating systems, gas and water supply systems, and air conditioning systems.

Alloys with copper content are in high demand in the electrical engineering field. The most famous alloys are bronze and brass. In the jewellery industry, copper alloys are often used to increase the strength and abrasion resistance of gold items. 

ALUMINIUM

Light and ductile non-ferrous metal is mined from aluminium ores (bauxites). The metal is often subdivide into high and technical purity aluminium. The higher the degree of purification of the metal, the purer it is and more expensive. 

Technical aluminium is used: in the manufacture of various conductors, electrical tires, technological pipeline systems; in the production of dishes and tanks; for arrangement of deck superstructures in shipping; in the construction and automotive industries.

High purity aluminium is used in the aerospace industry, in the computer industry for the manufacture of hard drives and capacitor foils.

FERROALLOYS

Ferrotitanium

This is a group of ferroalloys, which, along with iron (Fe), contain from 20 to 75% titanium (Ti). Also, the composition may contain up to 7% aluminium (Al), up to 4.5% silicon (Se) and up to 3% copper (Cu).

Ferrotitanium finds its application in steel production - for alloying and deoxidation.

Steel deoxidation is the removal of dissolved oxygen from the melt, which degrades the mechanical properties of the metal.

As an alloying addition, ferrotitanium gives the steel higher physical qualities and resistance to corrosion. It becomes stronger and harder, as the additive allows you to get products with a finer grain structure. Also, this ferroalloy is used in the production of acid-resistant stainless steel, as well as high-speed tool steel and steel for subsequent stamping.

Ferrotitanium is also used in the production of welding electrodes. Steel with the addition of titanium exhibits better weldability and greater strength of welds.

Ferro-titanium is produced by the aluminothermic method from ilmenite concentrate, that is, by the reduction of titanium oxides with aluminum. The second method of production is the remelting of titanium waste in furnaces or the fusion of iron and titanium scrap.

Ferromolybdenum

Ferromolybdenum is used in the production of stainless, heat-resistant and tool steels, heavy-duty alloys of non-ferrous metals. Thanks to the addition of ferromolybdenum, the homogeneity of the fine-grained structure of the finished product increases, the hardenability and hardenability of steel improves, and the temper brittleness of chromium-nickel steel disappears.

The production of ferromolybdenum is a multi-stage process. The raw materials are quartz-molybdenite, copper-molybdenum and molybdenum-tungsten ores, which contain molybdenite MoS2. By flotation, such ores go through the enrichment stage, resulting in molybdenum concentrates. To purify these concentrates from impurities, primarily sulfur, oxidative roasting is carried out, and then molybdenum concentrate cinders are reduced to ferromolybdenum by a chemical reaction. Ferrosilicon and aluminium are used as reducing agents. At the end of the reaction, the slag is removed.

The ferromolybdenum is then cooled and crushed. Products are supplied in the form of pieces or crushed particles.

Ferrosilicon

Ferrosilicon is an alloy of iron and silicon with a content of the latter from 19 to 92%.

Ferroalloy finds its application in the smelting of steel for its deoxidation (that is, the removal of oxygen from the melt, which worsens the mechanical properties of the finished product). Also, ferrosilicon is used as an alloying additive in the production of structural, tool, spring and transformer steels, modification of cast iron. Silicon in the composition of the metal increases its hardness and tear resistance. The alloy is resistant to acids, and acid-resistant products are made from it.

In addition, ferrosilicon is used in the production of other ferroalloys (including ferromanganese, ferromolybdenum, ferrochromium), and also as a source of silicon in the reduction of metals from oxides.

The reaction of contact between water and ferrosilicon with a high silicon content releases hydrogen, which is used in some plants to produce hydrogen.

The production of ferrosilicon is carried out by chemical reduction of silica or sand (SO2) with coke in the presence of iron in large ferroalloy furnaces.

The final product is poured into molds and cooled. It is then crushed, sorted and packaged.

Ferrovanadium

It is used for alloying steel, cast iron and various metal alloys. Products with the addition of vanadium have a fine crystalline structure, increasing their impact strength, resistance to alkali, as well as to sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, wear and corrosion resistance. Therefore, ferrovanadium is actively used in the production of structural, tool and bearing steels, as well as heat- and acid-resistant steels. Cast iron with the addition of vanadium has an increased impact strength.

When nitrogen is added, nitrided ferrovanadium is obtained, which has an increased strength compared to ordinary ferrovanadium. Nitrided ferrovanadium finds its application in the production of high-strength steels for metal structures, durable tool steels, stainless and resistant to low temperatures.

The production of ferrovanadium is a complex multi-stage process. The raw materials are vanadium ores or ores of other metals with a vanadium content of about 1%. The ore is enriched and then smelted to produce vanadium iron. After that, smelting is carried out in converter furnaces to obtain vanadium slag. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is obtained from the obtained raw material by means of a reduction reaction. Silicon and aluminum are most often used as reducing agents (silicothermic/silicoaluminothermic method). Further, ferrovanadium is smelted in an electric furnace in the presence of scrap steel.

Finished products are delivered in the form of 5-15 kg pieces

Ferrotungsten

Ferrotungsten is an alloy of iron and tungsten, as well as various impurities of other elements and additives. The content of tungsten in it is 65-80%, molybdenum - up to 7%, as well as silicon, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, etc. The presence of various elements is explained by the fact that the melting points of iron and tungsten differ significantly, resulting in a material with a complex structure and the presence of various phases in the composition.

Ferrotungsten finds its use in alloying steel and alloys, in particular, it is used in the production of high-speed, springy, corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant and magnetic steels. This additive increases the tensile strength and yield strength of steel, increases its strength and hardness at high temperatures.

Due to the complexity of the composition, the production of ferrotungsten is a multi-stage process. Initially, ores containing tungsten are enriched. And then reduction to oxide is carried out using carbon, silicon or aluminum. Depending on this, there are two methods for obtaining a ferroalloy - electrothermal and aluminothermic.

Finished products are supplied in pieces or in the form of crushed particles.