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By N. A. Barcza

This publication records the proceedings of the Tenth International Ferroalloys Congress, INFACON X, and the third INFACON hosted in South Africa. The Proceedings of the previous two South African congresses in 1974 and 1992 serve, as this volume does, as a valuable record of the papers presented at these important events. This publication comes at a time in South Africa?s democratic development where the theme ?Transformation Through Technology? is very appropriate. The ferroalloy industry has played an increasingly significant role in transformation and black economic empowerment in South Africa, particularly through the advancement and sharing of technology. INFACON X plays an important role in this process, and the stakeholders and organisers of this Congress are thankful for the opportunity to hold this event at this time of transformation in our country. The world of ferroalloys, as well as that of the steel and stainless steel industries, has continued to change rapidly. Recent innovations, better use of resources, increased awareness of environmental issues and ongoing efforts to improve occupational health and safety are among the topics addressed at INFACON X and in these Proceedings. The theme of ?Transformation Through Technology? has been chosen to reflect the regional and global developments in the ferroalloy industry, and the crucial role that technology plays. The Proceedings of INFACON X, the first Congress in Southern Africa of the new millenium, represent a milestone in the technical developments in this major global industry. It contains almost eighty papers in twenty Sessions, from authors in twenty countries, covering raw materials, reductants, energy, electrodes, refractories, furnace design, post taphole services, modelling, simulation, control, sensors, fundamental issues and the applications of ferroalloys as related topics. The major ferroalloys, namely ferrochromium and ferromanganese, are covered extensively in many interesting papers. This comes as no surprise, since South Africa is the leading producer of ferrochromium and also plays a major role in the supply of manganese ore and alloys. Papers on ferronickel, silicon and ferrosilicon ensure that all the large-volume ferroalloys are addressed. These Proceedings of refereed papers of high quality will serve the ferroalloy industry for many years to come, as has been the case with previous INFACON events. For the first time in the history of INFACON, the Proceedings will be available both in bound and in a searchable electronic CD-ROM format. We appreciate the time and effort that the authors and referees have devoted to making this publication a really valuable document. Their contributions are recorded for posterity and reflect the advancements they and their colleagues have made to benefit the ferroalloy industry. Without these ongoing improvements, the industry would stagnate and not fulfil its role in the advancement of mankind. All papers included in these Proceedings were peer-reviewed by at least two referees. About 130 referees were sourced internationally to fulfill this function, and their valuable technical and editing inputs are gratefully acknowledged. Finally, I would like to thank the Technical Programme and Publication committees, led by Dr. Lloyd Nelson and Dr. Noël Machingawuta respectively. Without the tireless efforts of these individuals and their Committee members, the technical programme and these Proceedings would not have been the success they certainly are.

Jan 1, 2004

By Harvey S. Mudd

AMONG the highly skilled craftsmen of the Renaissance were those who worked with ores and metals. The author of this book, Vannoccio Biringuccio, was a master craftsman in the practices of smelting and of metalworking. Contrary to the customs of a trade, Biringuccio was moved to impart his knowledge to all and thus he has given us the earliest hand- book on metallurgy-in fact, the first printed book dealing with the applied metal arts and the processes of ore reduction. We should remind ourselves that metallurgy is an ancient art and then it fair1y may be said that Biringuccio sought to describe the techniques that had been in course of development since the Bronze Age of western civilization. Whether Biringuccio was a man of learning or a scholar according to the standards of his time we do not know, but today we recognize him as a man of science who gave his wisdom to succeeding generations. It was not until the coming of the Power Age at the end of the eighteenth century that progress was resumed in the science of which he wrote more than two hundred years before. Little is known of Biringuccio's training in his native Siena. It can be surmised that there, as in Florence, where his contemporary Benvenuto Cellini lived, he received his training in the craftsman shops where the industrial arts were taught and flourished alongside the fine arts. Perhaps he and Cellini were acquainted, although there is no mention of Biringuccio in Cellini's autobiography-an omission that Cellini's vast egotism makes understandable. He was the great artist, and Biringuccio was a practical, studious, unromantic figure with no favors to dispense. In the April 1940 issue of Mining and Metallurgy Dr. Smith describes Biringuccio's book under the title of "A Neglected Italian Metallurgical Classic." The article, revised and extended, forms the basis of the introduction to the present volume, and I urge all who take up Pirotechnia to read what Dr. Smith has written in the Introduction. Biringuccio's work is a classic and in its translation Dr. Smith and Dr. Gnudi have brought to bear the high degree of scholarship that it deserves. Dr. Gnudi made the translation at Dr. Smith's request and it was then refined "in the fire" of his scientific knowledge of the subject. The result is a book which the Institute is proud to place before its members and which the Memorial Fund Committee considers it a privilege to publish.

Jan 1, 1942

Jan 1, 1933

Jan 1, 1938

Jan 1, 1930

Pyrometallurgy has played a very important role in southern Africa for at least four centuries. It continues to do so, and recent years have seen many exciting developments in pyrometallurgical technology. The wonderfully diverse rich mineral deposits in this area of the world have provided some unique opportunities for industrial processes to be established. The ?Southern African Pyrometallurgy 2006? conference was set up to showcase southern African pyrometallurgical operations, and to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between people working at various types of smelters. Papers have been obtained from a wide variety of pyrometallurgical plants in southern Africa. These descriptions of plant operations (as well as some history, and highlights of current work) will provide useful reference information for some time to come. Contributions are also included from universities, research organizations, and engineering companies, so that the full spectrum of pyrometallurgical activities can be covered. The plant descriptions will be published on a website, where they can be updated as and when required, with the eventual goal of having a description of every smelter in the region. The conference venue was selected to be the 'Cradle of Humankind' world heritage area, about 40 km from Johannesburg. Not only does this keep the conference within easy reach of the city and yet far enough out into the countryside to allow people to focus on the conference, it is also within easy reach of many pyrometallurgical plants. There is a particular significance to the choice of location, in that the Swartkrans area close to the Sterkfontein Caves is the site of the earliest evidence of the deliberate controlled use of fire by human beings (about 1.3 million years ago), and this is obviously a necessary precursor to pyrometallurgy. The area also lends itself to a very wide range of outdoor, social, and cultural activities to supplement the technical content of the programme. It is hoped that activities such as a hot air balloon safari and visits to the world-renowned Sterkfontein Caves and Wonder Cave will help to make the conference a memorable one for those able to attend. I trust that the ongoing value of the papers and presentations will make all the hard work of the many contributors most worthwhile.

Jan 1, 2006