Ferromolybdenum: Molybdic Oxide Smelted with Coke and Lime into Molten Steel in an Electric Arc Furnace (Brigham, US 4,160,661)

Technical molybdic oxide is fed in cans, with coke and lime, into a bath of molten steel in a 3000 kVA arc furnace. The electrodes stay in the slag, and the coke is trimmed after every charge unit so the metal keeps under 0.1 % carbon. Ferrosilicon and lime strip the slag, and the metal is shotted in running water. Result: from 5000 lb oxide, 3110 lb shot and pig of 54.1 % molybdenum, 0.06 % carbon, 43.1 % iron (Heat 4), using 1.94 kWh per lb of molybdenum. Source: Brigham, Sirianni and Garner, US patent 4,160,661 (1979), Example 2, Heat 4. Not given: how the shot was heated while drying overnight. Picture drawn by Youblob.