Abstract: An alloy having two constituents: a crystal structure of orderly solid iron-based solution; a non-metallic phase at least partially soluble in iron including particles which are uniformly dispersed in the volume of the first phase and are of suitable size. In a preferred embodiment, the alloy contains iron with dissolved and bonded carbon as the first phase, which forms the crystal structure, and material partially soluble in iron, for example structurally free molecular carbon, is taken as the second non-metallic phase. The alloy preferably contains the components at the following ratios, % by mass: carbon in a dissolved and in a bonded state: 0.01-1.00; free carbon: 0.01-2.24; iron: balance. The ratio of free carbon to that of carbon in a dissolved and in a bonded state ranges from 0.01 to 20. The alloy Is preferably produced by melting out low carbon semi-product, overheating the semi-product above a liquidus temperature, for example by 20-70° C.

Abstract: Improvements in metallurgical conversion in accordance with the present intion consist in the preparation of a semifinished item (a charge stock) in the form of a pig by forming thereof in a molding box of a casting machine from a solid filler, for the most part an oxidizing agent, and a liquid pig iron followed by cooling, provided said solid filler and said liquid pig iron undergo, in the process of forming, an action which prevents the floating up of the solid filler in the liquid pig iron. Such an action is effected both by applying a mechanical force, in particular by providing a casting machine with a cantilever (8) having a hollow roller (9) which rests on a molding box (2) and a weighting material (10), and by choosing relative dimensions of the solid filler pieces and selecting a rate of pig casting. Optimal conditions for using such semifinished item for metallurgical conversion which in accordance with the present invention is carried out in oxygen converters and arc furnaces are described.