Making Iron
From Ore to Molten Metal
The Blast Furnaces reduced iron ore to metallic pig iron. The furnaces had differing production capabilities, ranging from 800 to 3300 tons of iron per day. Most of this would later be processed into steel.
1 Heating The Materials
Hot air forced into the furnace burns the coke to produce carbon monoxide which reduces the iron ore and increases the temperature in the furnace to over 3000°F. The metallic iron melts and accumulates as a pool in the hearth at the bottom of the furnace, along with the slag.
2 Removing Impurities
Impurities in the ore are removed both as both [sic] gas and liquid. Carbon monoxide, produced from the burning coke, reacts with sulfur in the iron ore and coke to produce gaseous sulfur dioxide. The heated limestone reacts with other impurities in the iron ore to form a molten slag that floats on top of the iron.
3 Tapping The Furnace
Workers tap, or open up each furnace every few hours. Molten iron and slag flow out of the bottom of the blast furnace into a trough to allow the slag to rise to the top of the iron. The molten iron is then directed to waiting submarine cars which hold 100 to 150 tons. The slag is directed to large slag pots for cooling and eventual recycling.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features.
Location. 40° 36.899′ N, 75° 22.084′ W. Marker is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. Marker is on the Hoover-Mason Trestle at SteelStacks. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 711 East 1st Street, Bethlehem PA 18015, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Immigration & Industry (here, next to this marker); Blast Furnace (a few steps from this marker); Hot, Loud, & Dangerous (within shouting distance of this marker); Moving Materials (within shouting distance of this marker); A Community of Workers (within shouting distance of this marker); The Beginnings of Bethlehem Steel (within shouting distance of this marker); The Blower House (within shouting distance of this marker); Iron and Steel: A History (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bethlehem.
Also see . . .
1. Bethlehem Steel: Forging America. (Submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Bethlehem Steel Corporation. (Submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. How it works: The Blast Furnace.
4. Blast Furnace: The Making of Iron with Animations and Diagrams (YouTube). (Submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
5. What is SteelStacks?. (Submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
6. The New Blast Furnace of the Bethlehem Steel Company - I (Landis, 1910). (Submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 164 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 5, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
