Abstract: A steel ladle is provided with a burn resistant liner generally conforming to the inner contour of the ladel but spaced therefrom. A layer of sand is placed within the space between the ladle and liner to support the liner when loaded with a non-ferrous melt. The sand and the liner are retained within the ladle by a refractory cap extending between the upper edges of the liner and the ladle on top of the sand layer. A method of preparing a ladle to receive a non-ferrous melt involves lining the ladle interior with a burn resistant lining, supporting the lining on a sand layer disposed between the ladle interior and the lining, and retaining the sand and the liner within the ladle so they will not separate therefrom during pouring.