Abstract: In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the useful life of a refractory lining of a substantially cylindrical metallurgical vessel is significantly increased by the use of T-shaped bricks disposed on their face surfaces in an intermeshing relationship wherein some of the adjoining surfaces of adjacent bricks are coincident with a radius of the vessel and the other adjoining surfaces are concentric therewith. This invention extends the life of the vessel by delaying the initial failure of the mortar and then delaying leakage of the molten metal through the refractory lining once the mortar has failed.