The production of steel calls on several routes: iron ore converted into hot metal in a blast furnace, or reduced in solid stated in a pre-reduction furnace prior to melting, or recycled scrap melted in an electric arc furnace. Each of those production routes requires several process steps, and uses various raw materials. Moreover, the sharp increase of ore and coal prices leads the steel companies to search for cheaper sources, and to recycle more and more their own residues in their own production. These cheaper raw materials and residues don't have the same properties than the high grade raw materials, but their negative influence can be counter-balanced in a certain extent by a better preparation. It is therefore logical that steelmaking is using agglomeration in many occasions. We will describe here the main applications of agglomeration in our industry and the challenges we are facing.
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