Furnance having dense refractory oxide liner

A furnace for melting glass or gasifying coke and coal wherein the improvement comprises:

• a furnace lining consisting essentially of a sintered mixture of particulate oxides wherein the oxides are at least 98% pure, said lining is at least 92% of its theoretical density with the porosity present being non-continuous and uniformly distributed throughout the lining, and said mixture of oxides is made up of 10% to 90% alumina and 90% to 10% chromia.