Method for recycling oily mill scale

A method for recycling oily mill scale particles recovered from steel manufacturing operations, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing oily mill scale particles recovered from steel manufacturing operations;
• separating from said oily mill scale those particles larger than 3/16 in. (4.76 mm.);
• mixing the particles remaining after said separating step with a binder selected from the group consisting of (1) a binder comprising molasses and hydrated lime and (2) a binder comprising lignosulfonate;
• agglomerating said mixture of particles and binder into agglomerated shapes having a composition consisting essentially of said particles and said binder;
• said mixing and agglomerating steps comprising providing said agglomerated shapes with a green strength sufficient to permit the use of said agglomerated shapes in a steel refining operation without aging;
• providing a bath of molten steel containing excess carbon;
• refining said bath of molten steel, using an oxygen blow;
• utilizing said agglomerated shapes to provide a coolant for, and to oxidize said excess carbon in, the molten steel by adding said agglomerated shapes to said bath of molten steel, in conjunction with said refining step using said oxygen blow, while the bath contains excess carbon;
• all of the agglomerated shapes so utilized being added to the bath of molten steel;
• said adding step being performed after said agglomerating step;
• said agglomerated shapes having a density which facilitates penetration by said shapes of any layer of slag which may overlie said molten steel;
• there being no deoiling or grinding steps performed on said oily mill scale particles prior to said adding step;
• said bath of molten steel having a temperature during said refining step which will flash off the oil in said oily mill scale, thereby preventing said oil from acting as a carbonaceous reductant in said bath of molten steel;
• all of said steps, recited prior to the recitation of said step of providing a bath of molten steel, being conducted under ambient condtions of temperature, pressure and atmosphere.