Abstract: A method for refining an iron-base metal such as pig iron which contains minor amounts of elements including silicon, manganese, phosphorus, carbon, sulfur, and other incidental impurities, characterized by the steps of containing molten iron-base metal in a metallurgical vessel, heating and oxidizing the molten metal to cause chemical reactions to remove excessive contents of the said elements, adding solid lime and a mixture of fluorspar and slag conditioners of relatively high basicity (lime-to-silica ratios of 2.5 to 4.0) which conditioners consist essentially of oxides of selected metals including iron, manganese, silicon, magnesium, and calcium, and which conditioners have a melting point of from about 2,000 to 2,800 F, and continuing to heat while oxidizing the mixture of the molten metal, slag conditioner, fluorspar and slag-forming materials until said minor amounts of elements are reduced to the desired percentages, and are retained in the slag formed.