Question

What is ‘pig-iron’?

Answer 1

Pig iron is the crude iron produced by smelting iron ore with coke and fluxes in a blast furnace; molten iron collects at the furnace base and is tapped off as pig iron. It typically contains about three to five per cent carbon plus silica, sulfur, phosphorus and other impurities, making it hard and brittle. Pig iron is an intermediate product later refined into wrought iron, cast iron or steel products.