Thermodynamic Calculations of the Production of Ferrovanadium from V-containing Steelworks Slags with a low Content of V2O5. Part 1

Abstract

The use of low grade vanadium slags from steel works for the production of ferrovanadium is an alternative for the future besides vanadium oxides, slags with high vanadium content, flue ashes or residues from the petrol industry. Thermodynamic calculations show the possibility of pyrometallurgical processing of such a material. On the one hand, a saleable ferrovanadium should be produced and, on the other hand, the produced slag should be used as a raw material in the building or cement industry. The treatment of the slag was done in two different reduction steps. While the first one leads to an enrichment of vanadium oxide in the slag and to a decrease of different elements, especially iron, in the second reduction step ferrovanadium is produced aluminothermically.