Composite briquette for steelmaking or ironmaking furnace charge

A composite briquette for addition to the charge in a steelmaking or ironmaking furnace, the briquette comprising:

• a quantity of carbon fines;
• a material in powdered form, the material selected from the group consisting of iron powder and iron oxide, the material densifying the briquette and suppressing the slippery nature of the carbon fines;
• a quantity of magnesium carbonate;
• and
• a binder.

A method of improving the slag-covered charge in a steelmaking or ironmaking furnace, the method comprising:

• making a mixture of:
• a quantity of carbon fines, a material in powdered form selected from the group consisting of iron powder and iron oxide, the material densifying the briquette and suppressing the slippery nature of the carbon fines, a quantity of magnesium carbonate, and a binder;
• compressing a portion of said mixture in a suitable mold to make a briquette;
• and
• introducing said briquette to the charge below the slag in the steelmaking or ironmaking furnace so that said material in powdered form contained in the briquette will cause the same to sink into the charge.