Iron Ores With and Without Phosphorus

Unlike the older, simple iron manufacturing processes, pig iron takes up the total phosphorus content from the ore. Iron made from a high-phosphorus pig iron will have a high content of phosphorus and suffer from blue brittleness. Thus, only iron ores with low phosphorus contents could be used in the blast furnace process for production of a high-quality iron. In the new situation in Europe the production units had to be located in regions with a large supply of ore with low phosphorus - and high iron - contents. Some examples are shown in Table 8.1. 

In Stockholm the famous Jernkontoret, an organization of the Swedish ironworks owners, was founded in 1747 to keep the price of iron at its correct level in these dangerous trading circumstances . Since then it has worked also as an institute for education, research and technical development. 

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