Abstract: A stave cooler system for cooling one or more cooling elements mounted in a metallurgical furnace. The system includes a stave cooler assembly having an inner end portion with an end part comprising a body and a number of fins extending from the body, each fin being formed to bend upon engagement of an outer part of each said fin respectively with an outer wall of the cooling element, to securely engage at least the outer part of each fin with an inner borehole wall partially defining the inner part when the end part is inserted into the inner part of the hole.