Pig iron

Description

Raw metallic iron produced from the first smelting of the ore. The furnace melt drained into gullies that branched on each side into rectangular molds. The molten metal was cooled to form ingots which were called pig iron because their arrangement resembled suckling piglets. Pig iron contains iron and carbon (4.6%) with small amounts of silicon (1%), sulfur, (0.03%) manganese, (2.4%) and phosphorus (0.27%). Pig iron is resmelted to make cast iron or wrought iron.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Scotch pig; white iron; Massel (Deut.); Roheisen (Deut.)

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 607

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Susan E. Schur, Conservation Terminology: A review of Past & Current Nomenclature of Materials, Technology and Conservation, Spring (p.34-39); Summer (p.35-38); Fall (p.25-36), 1985