Pig iron facts for kids
Pig iron is a type of iron that has a lot of carbon mixed in. It's made by heating up iron ore (rock with iron in it) in a huge oven called a blast furnace. This process is called smelting. The melted iron is then poured into special shapes called ingots. People call it 'pig iron' because when the hot, melted iron is poured into molds, the main piece looks like a mother pig (sow) and the smaller pieces branching off look like little piglets feeding.
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History of Pig Iron
People have known about and made pig iron for a very long time! Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese civilizations were already making it as far back as 1100 BC. That's over 3,000 years ago!
What Pig Iron Is Used For
Pig iron isn't usually used on its own because it's quite brittle (it breaks easily). Instead, it's a starting material for making other types of iron and steel.
- Making Wrought Iron: One way to change pig iron is to melt it again and blow hot air through it. This process removes most of the carbon, turning it into Wrought iron, which is stronger and more flexible.
- Making Gray Iron: Pig iron can also be used to make "gray iron," another type of cast iron often used for things like engine blocks and machine parts.
How Pig Iron Is Used Today
In the past, melted pig iron was often poured directly from the blast furnace and then shipped to a steel mill to be processed further. Today, it's more common to turn the melted metal into small, solid pieces (like pellets or granules) before shipping it. This makes it easier to transport and use in modern steelmaking factories.
Images for kids
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Casting pig iron at the Iroquois smelter in Chicago, between 1890 and 1901
See also
In Spanish: Arrabio para niños
