Abstract: Lining wear in an arc heated ladle containing a bath of melt and slag is reduced by rotating the melt in a horizontal direction to provide a concave bath surface in which the slag accumulates towards the center, thus preventing the slag attacking the ladle lining. In addition to heating the charge, the arc or arcs melt(s) the slag whereas the lining is partly protected from the radiation by the concave surface. A flow perturbing means is arranged at the ladle to attain an increased homogenization and the possibility of intensified sulfur removal.