Ferrosilicon Industry Analysis

What is Ferrosilicon?

Ferrosilicon is an iron and silicon alloy that is mostly used as an alloying component and for deoxidation in the steel industry. It has a high percentage of iron silicides and is well-known for having a high specific gravity, resistance to corrosion and abrasion, and magnetism that makes magnetic recovery simple. Ferrosilicon’s average silicon concentration ranges from 15 to 90 weight per cent. It is created by reducing sand or silica with coke when iron is present.

Steel Production: Ferrosilicon is used as an alloying component and for deoxidation in the steelmaking process. It aids in regulating the starting silicon concentration of cast irons and is necessary for the creation of ductile iron, which has nodules of graphite that make cracking more challenging.

Ferrosilicon is used to improve heat resistance, wear resistance, and oxidation resistance in refractory materials, which makes them appropriate for high-temperature applications.

Solar Sector: It is employed in the solar sector to produce solar panels and cells, which are essential to the creation of photovoltaic gadgets.

Chemical Industry: Silicones, resins, lubricants, and other chemical compounds are produced using ferrosilicon as a raw material.

Production of Hydrogen: Ferrosilicon has been utilised in the silicon process, namely in the synthesis of trichlorosilane for industrial usage.

Other Uses: Ferrosilicon is also employed as a reducing agent in the production of ferroalloys, as an inoculant and spheroidizer in the cast iron business, and as a crucial deoxidizer in the steelmaking industry.

Ferrosilicon comes in a variety of forms, such as ferrosilicon powder, ferrosilicon aluminium, ferrophosphorus, and ferroalloy.

What Are the Production Processes of Ferrosilicon?

Steel scraps, blue carbon, silicon-containing raw materials, iron raw materials, and silicon raw materials are the primary raw ingredients needed to manufacture ferrosilicon. Among them, the quality of iron raw materials has a major impact on the quality of ferrosilicon; raw materials containing silicon are primarily quartzite, quartz stone, etc. with a silica content of over 97% and low impurity content; these materials are collectively referred to as silica; blue carbon, on the other hand, is recognised for its high chemical activity, low phosphorus, low sulphur, and low aluminium content, which have gradually made it an irreplaceable carbon material.

Furthermore, the production of ferrosilicon necessitates the use of energy, which makes up the majority of costs. The amount of ferrosilicon produced has an impact on the market’s supply, which in turn has an impact on ferrosilicon’s price.

1. Raw Materials: Steel scraps, iron, silicon-containing raw materials, blue carbon, and other raw materials are needed to produce ferrosilicon. The quality of the iron raw materials has a major impact on the quality of ferrosilicon. Usually, quartzite and quartzite with a high silica concentration and a low impurity content are the raw materials containing silicon.
2. Reduction Process: In the presence of iron, coke is reduced with quartz sand (SiO2) to form ferrosilicon. In a blast furnace or electric arc furnace, the raw ingredients are continually melted and undergo chemical reactions to generate a liquid iron-silicon alloy, which is the process of reduction.
3. Smelting and Pouring: A flat sheet of solidified melt is poured out of the furnace. This sheet is crushed by the necessary equipment once it has cooled, and it is then treated in a crusher. The resulting particle size distribution is composed of chunks the size of centimetres and small dust-like particles.
4. Variations in Production Methods: Ferrosilicon can be produced in a number of ways, such as by hot washing slag, blowing oxygen or chlorine outside the furnace, using fine charge production to produce high-purity ferrosilicon, and producing low-aluminium, low-carbon ferrosilicon.
5. Milled and atomized ferrosilicon: Ferrosilicon is produced in two different forms: milled ferrosilicon and atomized ferrosilicon. Whereas milled ferrosilicon has a more angular shape, atomized ferrosilicon has a more spherical shape.

Market Status and Future Development Trends in the Ferro Silicon Industry

Opportunities for Market Growth: The ferrosilicon market is expected to increase significantly annually (CAGR 2023–2031). Ferrosilicon is increasingly being used as an inoculant in the cast iron business and as a deoxidizer in the steel industry, which is anticipated to drive demand for the product. The expansion of the construction and automotive industries, along with the growing need for steel and metal alloys, is anticipated to propel market growth.

Market Segmentation and Regional Outlook: Applications (coatings, reducing agents, oxygen agents, and so on) and kinds (75–95% silicon, 70–75% silicon, 45%–70% silicon, and 10%–12% silicon) can be used to divide the market. With a revenue share of over 66.0% in 2022, Asia Pacific had the biggest revenue share. The region has significant potential for further investment in the automobile sector and infrastructural development, which will drive steel production and support the ferrosilicon market’s expansion.

Industry Structure and Principal Entities: The ferrosilicon market includes producers, suppliers of raw materials, and end consumers, as well as other value chain participants. The industry’s major companies are concentrating on ways to improve their product development, market share, and geographical expansion. The biggest ferrosilicon producers in the world are actively fostering the expansion and development of the market.

Future Trends and Market Status: Steel is predicted to be in high demand in the automotive sector, with manufacturers concentrating on the production of lightweight steel to increase fuel economy. Ferrosilicon demand is expected to increase as a result of the manufacturing of chassis, engine blocks, and powertrain components using silicon-aluminium alloys instead of steel. The market is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% between 2022 and 2031, propelled by the rising demand for steel manufacturing and the growth of the construction and automotive sectors.