Abstract: In a steelmaking process in which, in order to desulfurize iron melts (4) using a strongly basic slag in a desulfurization vessel (7), the desulfurization slag (8) is brought to a temperature of from 1400-1800° C.

Abstract: A process and an arrangement for the production of steel from sponge iron. In order to be able to process sponge iron with high contents of acid gangue and a phosphorus content of more than 3% in an economic and operationally safe manner, the following measures are taken:melting the sponge iron charge, if desired, together with scrap, in an acid-lined electric furnace,tapping the steel melt slag-free into a basic-lined ladle by introducing a particulate dephosphorizing agent into the casting jet,removing the phosphorus-containing slag formed from the ladle and subsequently introducing the ladle into a ladle heating stand, in which additional dephosphorizing agent is blown into the melt together with oxygen or oxygen-containing gas, which treatment, if necessary, is repeated after extraction of the formed slag, with the ladle content optionally being heated to adjust the desired dephosphorization temperature of about 1,550.degree. to 1,600.degree. C.