Slag is a product of the steel making process. Once scorned as a useless byproduct, it is now accepted and, often, preferred and specified as it is known to be a valuable material with many and varied uses.
The use of steel slag as an aggregate is considered a standard practice in many jurisdictions, with applications that include its use in granular base, embankments, engineered fill, highway shoulders, and hot mix asphalt pavement.
Blast furnace slag products have been used successfully in virtually all phases of bridge construction. Projects such as the bridge pictured here can utilize blast furnace slag as a concrete aggregate.
Blast furnace slag has been utilized in concrete masonry for many years. The blast furnace slag can impart many desirable properties to the masonry units such as lighter weight and increased fire resistance.
According to studies as far back as 1927 by Penn State University, Ohio State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Auburn University, and Canadian research, Ag-Slag applications have been equivalent to limestone and dolomite in increasing crop yields at equal levels of fineness.
The physical and chemical properties of mineral wool insulation, also known as slag wool, are major factors in their utility as residential and commercial insulation, pipe and process insulation, insulation for ships, mobile homes, domestic cooking appliances, and a wide variety of other applications.
Steel slag has been utilized worldwide in waterway construction. Applications include use of slag for erosion control, mineral filter applications, bank reinforcement, and construction of dikes, reefs and sea walls.
Slag ballast for railroad applications is singled out for first preference over any other type of ballast. Its angularity improves binding action and keeps it from shifting; its durability means lower maintenance costs, and its ease of handling speeds work.

Common uses for slag

Blast Furnace Slag
Steel
Slag
Air-Cooled
Pelletized
Granulated
Asphalt
aggregate
Concrete masonry
GGBS
cement
Asphalt
aggregate
Concrete/Masonry aggregate
Lightweight concrete
Soil cement
Fill
Insulation/
mineral wool
Lightweight
fill
Roller compacted concrete
Cement Mfg.
raw feed
Cement Mfg.
raw feed
Insulation
Agriculture/Soil Amendment
Agriculture/Soil Amendment
Road Base
Road Base
Environmental Applications
Fill
Agriculture/Soil Amendment
Railroad ballast
Roof
aggregate
Road Base
Railroad
ballast
Gabions/Rip Rap
Glass manufacture
Environmental Applications
Gabions/Rip Rap
Lightweight
fill
 

Slag's ain't Slag's
SLAG is a broad term covering all non metallic co products resulting from the separation of a metal from its ore, Its chemistry and morphology depends on the metal being produced and the solidification process used. Slags can be broadly categorized as ferrous (iron/steel) and non-ferrous (copper, lead/zinc) depending on the industry from which they come. Non ferrous slags make up only 12% of the total annual production Described below are the main types and uses of slag commercially available in Ferrous Slag products

Iron Blast Furnace Slag (BFS)

This is the by-product from the reduction of iron ores to produce molten iron and molten slag.

1. When allowed to cool slowly to a crystalline rod< form It becomes a light gray vesicular rock known as Air-Cooled Blast Furnace Slag. Principle uses include:

  • Uncrushed - fill and embankments (particularly areas subject to severe loading such as mainline rail systems), working platforms on difficult sites pavements, where binding fines are produced by rolling to break the slag down to fill the voids.
  • Graded road base -- on its own or blended with other slags and/or with other natural rocks and sands.
  • Crushed and graded - for concrete aggregates, concrete sand, glass insulation wool, filter medium, and use under concrete slabs as a platform

2. By passing the molten slag through high volume high pressure water sprays, a glassy, sand-Type (granulated) material Is formed, known as Granulated Blast Furnace SIag.The color of this product is very similar to normal beach sand.

  • The principal use is as Cement replacement (when ground), replacing 30-50% of Portland Cement in 'normal' concrete, but can replace up to 70% in specialist applications such as marine concrete.
  • Other uses include, glass making, trace elements in agriculture, concrete block manufacture, sporting field sub-base (for drainage), filtration medium, reinforced earth embankments, and mine backfilling and grit-blasting medium requiring fine etching.

Basic Oxygen Steel making Slag (BOS or Steel Furnace Slag)

This slag Is formed when molten Iron, scrap metals and various fluxes, such as lime, are oxidized by injecting large amounts of pure oxygen into the molten iron mix to create molten steel and molten slag. Slow cooling of the molten slag produces a dense rock material. Principal uses include:

  • Blending with many other products such as granulated slag, fly ash and lime to form pavement material
  • Other uses Include, skid resistant asphalt aggregate, rail ballast asphaltic concrete aggregate, soil conditioner, hard stand areas and unconfined construction fill.

Electric Arc Furnace Slag (EAF or steel furnace slag) Produced when scrap metal and fluxes are oxidized by the use of an electric current, woken slag is generally placed into ground bays for cooling. Both BOS and EAF slags are somewhat heavier than Blast Furnace Slag and most quarried rock material. Uses include

  • Blending with many other products such as granulated slag, fly ash and lime to form pavement material, skid resistant asphalt aggregate and unconfined construction fill.

Non Ferrous Slag products Copper Slag (CS)

Molten copper slag is produced by the reduction of ores and fluxes to liberate the copper metal. It is generally granulated to form very dark colored glassy single-sized (about 2mm) particles. The main use for copper slag In Australia is in grit blasting, due to its sizing and strength characteristics.

Lead/Zinc Slag (LZS)

Formed from the smelting of Zinc ores, it is generally granulated to form a sand size product with a top size of about 5mm ,with only a small quantity of material below I mm. Its dark co lour and has attracted the name of Black Sand. Mostly spherical in nature it has been used as concrete sand.