The Slag Sector in the Steel Industry

Table of Contents

1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 2. What is Slag? ...................................................................................................................... 3 3. The History of Ferrous Slag Recycling ............................................................... 5
3.1 The History of Recycling ....................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Volumes Consumed ............................................................................................................. 13

4. Utility and Usage of Ferrous Slag Products .................................................. 15

4.1 Blast-Furnace Slag Products .............................................................................................. 15 4.2 Steel Slag Products.............................................................................................................. 17 4.3 Procurements Qualified Under the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing .................... 18 4.4 Recycling Technology Policy for Port and Airport Infrastructure: Ferrous Slag Products at MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau......................................................................................... 18 4.5 Technology Development for Use in Marine Environment Remediation........................ 18 4.6 Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources ...................................................... 19 4.7 Instances of Use in Major Construction Projects .............................................................. 19 4.8 Chemical Composition of Ferrous Slag Products and Their Conformance to Environmental Standards......................................................................................................... 22

5. Control of Ferrous Slag from Generation to Customer Use ................. 27

5.1 Production Control of Ferrous Slag Product ..................................................................... 27 5.2 Control of Ferrous Slag Product from Shipment to Customer......................................... 31

6. Summary............................................................................................................................. 32
Annexes: Chronology of Ferrous Slag Activities

July 2006 The Japan Iron and Steel Federation Nippon Slag Association

1. Introduction Iron and steel are basic materials that underpin modern civilization, and due to many years of research the slag that is generated as a by-product in iron and steel production is now in use as a material in its own right in various sectors. Slag enjoys stable quality and properties that are difficult to obtain from natural materials and in the 21st century is gaining increasing attention as an environmentally friendly material from the perspectives of resource saving, energy conservation and CO2 reduction. Blast Furnace Slag and Steel Slag Iron and steel slag is broadly divided into blast furnace slag and steel slag (basic oxygen furnace slag and electric arc furnace slag). Blast furnace slag: Constituents other than iron in the iron ore melted in a blast furnace become slag together with the ash content in the limestone and coke by-product and are separated from the pig iron and recovered. This blast furnace slag has constituents similar to those of natural rocks, and around 290 kg is generated per ton of pig iron. Steel slag: The steelmaking process consists of refining pig iron, scrap and other material to produce steel, either in a basic oxygen furnace or an electric arc furnace. Steel slag (basic oxygen furnace slag and electric arc furnace slag) is that generated in this steelmaking process, in amounts of 110 to 120 kg per ton of crude steel. Stable Quality The primary constituents of slag are lime (CaO) and silica (SiO2). These constituents are also contained in earth crust in general or in ordinary rocks and minerals, and their chemical composition is similar to that of regular sedimentary rock and Portland cement. CaO, the primary constituent of slag, is soluble in water and exhibits an alkalinity like that of cement or concrete. And as it is removed at high temperatures of 1,200C and greater, it contains no organic matter whatsoever. Resource Saving, Energy Conservation and CO2 Reduction The characteristics of the slag that are generated as by-products in steel production are now exploited for use in various sectors. From the perspectives of resource saving, energy conservation and CO2 reduction, these slag are also highly-regarded materials to reduce the load placed on the environment.

Resource saving Saving of natural resources (limestone, crushed stone, sand, etc.)

Energy conservation ca.40% less consumption with Portland blast-furnace slag cement than with ordinary cement (fuel, electric power, etc.)

CO2 reduction ca.40% less with Portland blast- furnace slag cement than with ordinary cement

Assuming Portland blast-furnace slag cement with 45% blast furnace slag content.

Throughout the long history of the iron and steel industries, ways have been sought to make effective use of these slag, but their traditional use as landfill material has been nearing its limit with the massive expansion of the steel industry since the mid-1970s. The steel companies have since taken on as among their important management challenges the development of technology, the maintenance of production facilities and certification for ferrous slag products in the market in order to expand the applications of these slag, and the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) and Nippon Slag Association (NSA) have promoted the institution and widespread adoption of Japan Industrial Standards (JIS). As a result, 99% of slag is now useful material, employed by such national agencies as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and by local governments and other users, and it has gained both high acclaim and certification. With the adoption of the Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources, expectations have risen for containment of the generation of slag as a by-product of the steel industry and for the effective utilization of slag as a recyclable resource. The Law on Promoting Green Purchasing further instituted an extensive list of qualified procurements that national and local governments actively seek to include in their procurements. This paper summarizes the history of iron and steel slag recycling, its utility and usage, and the state of its control from generation through sale in order to promote understanding of how it has been handled and efforts made to date in the slag sector of the steel industry.

2. What is Slag?
Slag, as shown in Figure 1, is broadly divided into slag derived from metal production processes and slag derived from waste heat-treatment and melting. Slag derived from metal production processes further consists of ferrous slag and non-ferrous slag. This paper deals with the ferrous slag derived from Iron and steel production processes (those within the dotted line in Figure 1).

Slag

Slag from metal production processes

Ferrous slag

Blast furnace slag

Granulated BF slag Air-cooled BF slag

Steel slag

Basic oxygen furnace slag Electric arc furnace slag

Non-ferrous slag

Ferronickel slag Copper slag

Slag from waste heat-treatment & melting

Fused waste slag, sewage sludge slag, etc.

Figure 1 Types of slag Figure 2 describes the flow of production of ferrous slag, which may be broadly divided into blast furnace slag and steel slag. Blast furnace slag may be either granulated slag, a glass form that has been quenched, or air-cooled slag, which has been cooled in the atmosphere. In FY 2004 granulated slag amounted to 78% of Japanese slag nationally. Granulated slag is primarily used as a material in cement and recently is also widely used as fine aggregate for concrete and in civil engineering works. Air-cooled slag is primarily used as a road-building material. Most steel slag is used in such civil engineering works as weak ground improvement. Mixed with air-cooled slag, it is also used in road building as composite roadbed material.

Blast furnace slag

Iron ore

Air-cooled slag (Air-coooled) Cooling yard

Crusher

Screen

Ageing Roadbed material Fine aggregate for concrete Cement material Blast-furnace cement and cement material Earthwork and ground improvement material Aggregate for asphalt mixtures Fine aggregate for concrete

Sub-raw materials

Coke Limestone Slag (290 kg/ton)

Granulated slag (water-cooled) Crusher

Granulater

Screen

Hot air

Pig iron Blast furnace

Steel slag

BOF slag (incl. Preliminary treatment slag) Slag (110 kg/ton) Ageing Roadbed material ground improvement material Cement material and Earthwork material

Sub-raw materials

Mill oxide Iron ore Quicklime Basic oxygen furnace

Crusher

Screen

Cooling yard Tapping

Crusher

Electric arc furnace slag Electrode Scrap Air-cooled slag (Air-coooled) Cooling yard Electric furnace Crusher Screen Sub-raw Quicklime Ferroalloy Crusher Screen Aggregate for asphalt mixtures aggregate for concrete Ageing Roadbed material and ground improvement material Earthwork material Cement material and ground improvement material

Sub-raw materials

Quicklime Ferroalloy

Slag materials (120 kg/ton) -l Ladle

Cooling yard Ladle-refining furnace

Figure 2 Flow of steel slag production (Source: Nippon Slag Association)

3. The History of Ferrous Slag Recycling

3.1 The History of Recycling (1) Background The history of recycling ferrous slag is a long one. Production of Portland blast-furnace slag cement began in 1910, and the Japanese national standard for Portland blast-furnace slag cement (JES 29) was formulated in 1926. 1960-73: Rapid Economic Growth Extensive use in reclamation and land formation at a succession of steelworks projects at waterfront. Use as roadbed material begins in late-1960s. Since the Oil Shock of 1973 Steelworks construction dropped off, but attention focused on the importance of resource saving and energy conservation. Requirements of resource saving and energy conservation drive slag recycling dramatically with an active push for the development of application technologies and gaining public awareness. (2) Promotional Frameworks 1) Industry The Japan Iron and Steel Federation
1966 Nippon Slag Association

1972

1976

1984

Six sales companies form Slag Products Study Group in Osaka 1968 Renamed the Japan Slag Group Blast-Furnace Slag JIS Standardization 1972 Road-building Slag JIS Proposal Drafting Committee formed Committee established 1975 Japan Slag Group moves to Tokyo Slag Recycling Committee formed 1976 Renamed the Japan Slag Society 1978 Japan Slag Society progressively dissolved, Nippon Slag Association formed with steelmakers Regular work of Slag Recycling Committee transferred to Nippon Slag Association

* For certification pursued by Nippon Slag Association, see the annexed Chronology of Ferrous Slag Activities.

2) Steelmakers From the mid-1970s and into the 1980s the steelmakers too recognized that recycling ferrous slag was an important management challenge and formed specialist slag organizations to promote public awareness campaigns for the development of slag product technologies and

the formation of markets for them. One example is that of Nippon Steel Corporation: (1) Slag Planning Group established in the Planning Division (1971) Promotion of certification to expand and stabilize sales of blast furnace slag Development of application technologies for and commercialization of product of basic oxygen furnace slag (2) Slag Recycling Promotion Group established (1976), renamed Slag Recycling Promotion Office (1977) Key Challenges Engaged Organizational Leave off from selling slag as a leftover and position slag as a new line of business. Organize as follows to position Nippon Steel as the guarantor of a stable supply in terms of both quality and quantity. -- Switch from system of selling raw ore to pre-existing slag processing and selling operations to system of processing and sales at Nippon Steels own responsibility. -- Organization for slag processing and sales established at each steelworks. Promotion of technology development Promotion of certification of slag product (3) Slag Recycling Promotion Group renamed Slag Business Development Division (1978) (3) Patent Applications Thus, the industry and the companies that make it up have constructed a framework and worked to develop application technologies and secure certification for ferrous slag product. Figure 3 shows the number of published patent applications annually in the field of ferrous slag over a recent 20-year period. Fruitful work continues across the industry to develop new application technologies and improve production technologies even now that 99% of all ferrous slag generated is recycled.

number

Year of applications Figure 3 Published patent applications in the field of ferrous slag

(4) Capital Investment Steelmakers have installed the following production equipment to produce ferrous slag product. 1) Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag Product Production Equipment In granulation equipment such as that shown in Figure 4, granulated blast-furnace slag is produced by injecting high-pressure water from a granulator at a point downstream of the molten slag and then quenching and granulating the slag. With the increased consumption of Portland blast-furnace slag cement as a means of resource saving and energy conservation after the Second Oil Shock of 1979, granulated slag production facilities were upgraded in order to increase the production of granulated blast-furnace slag that is a basic input for such cements. 78% of blast-furnace slag currently goes to such production.
Blast furnace

Stirring tank Granulator

Discharge conveyor

Slag tank Dewatering equipment ( rotating-drum filter)

Water pump

Water tank

Shipment

Figure 4 Granulated slag production facility

Granulated slag

Ratio()

Figure 5 Transition of granulated slag ratio

2) Air-Cooled Blast-Furnace Slag Product Production Equipment Molten slag produced in blast furnace is discharged to a cooling yard and naturally cooled standing with moderate sprinkling. The crystallized rocky slag then undergoes crushing, sieving and removal of magnetic matter to produce roadbed material or coarse aggregate for concrete. 3) Steel Slag Product Production Equipment Molten slag generated in basic oxygen furnaces or electric arc furnaces is discharged to a cooling yard or slag ladle and naturally cooled standing with moderate sprinkling. The crystallized rocky slag then undergoes crushing, sieving and removal of magnetic matter to achieve granularity appropriate to its intended application. Because steel slag contains free lime and has the property of expanding in reaction with water, it is shipped after its expansion is stabilized by, depending on the application, natural ageing in which it is cured for long periods outdoors in natural rainfall and other weather or steam ageing which employs high-temperature vapor. (5) Certification The status of significant certification is as follows. 1) Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) Those ferrous slag products defined in Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) are as follows. These account for 64% of all slag products. JIS R 5210 JIS R 5211 JIS A 6206 Portland cement (instituted 1950, revised 2003) (1979 revision permitted 5% or lower admixtures of blast-furnace slag.) Portland blast-furnace slag cement (instituted 1950, revised 2003) Ground granulated blast-furnace slag for use in concrete (instituted 1995, revised 1997) JIS A 5011-1 Slag aggregate for concrete Part 1: Blast-furnace slag aggregate (instituted 1977, revised 2003) JIS A 5011-4 Slag aggregate for concrete Part 4: Electric arc furnace oxidizing slag aggregate (instituted 2003) JIS A 5308 Ready-mixed concrete (instituted 1953, revised 2003) (1978 revision incorporated blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate, 1984 revision blast-furnace slag fine aggregate.) JIS A 5015 Iron and steel slag for road construction (instituted 1979, revised 1992)

2) National Specifications Ferrous slag products are incorporated into a number of national specifications.

Government agencies (1) Portland blast-furnace slag cement and ground granulated blast-furnace slag Regional development offices MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau MLIT Housing Bureau MLIT Housing Bureau Common civil engineering specifications (instituted 2000) Common port and harbor construction specifications (issued 2004) 2004 common specifications for public housing construction (issued 2004) Evaluation of fabrication methods employing concrete using class B Portland blast-furnace slag cement in underground sections (authorization of special evaluation methods under the 2002 Residential Quality Assurance Law) MLIT Railway Bureau Railway structural design standards & commentary: Concrete structures (issued 2004) MAFF Rural Development Bureau Common civil engineering specifications: Common specifications Prefectures (2) Slag for concrete MLIT Housing Bureau MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau Regional development offices 2004 common specifications for public housing construction (issued 2004) Common port and harbor construction specifications (issued 2004) Common civil engineering specifications (instituted 2000 MLIT Ministers Secretariat Building and Repairs Department 2004 Prefectures (3) Slag for road building and concrete MLIT Ministers Secretariat Building and Repairs Department 2004 public building construction standards specification (issued 2004) Metropolitan Expressway Public Corporation public building construction standards specification (issued 2004) Civil engineering contractor requirements for facilities, machinery and construction (issued 2003) Civil engineering contractor requirements

Common specifications for construction materials (issued 2004) MAFF Rural Development Bureau Common civil engineering specifications: Common specifications for facilities, machinery and construction (issued 2003) (4) Slag for road building Regional development offices Common 2000) Prefectures MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau MLIT Railway Bureau Civil engineering contractor requirements Common port and harbor construction specifications (issued 2004) Railway structural design standards & commentary: Earth structures, SI unit edition (issued 2000) (5) Slag for fertilizer MAFF MAFF Blast furnace slag for ordinary fertilizer (1955 revision of Fertilizer Control Law) Basic-oxygen-furnace slag for ordinary fertilizer (1981 revision of Fertilizer Control Law) 3) Academic Society and Industrial Association Guidelines and Policies Ferrous slag products have been incorporated into the guidelines and policies of interested academic societies and industrial associations. (1) Slag for concrete Architectural Institute of Japan Policy and commentary on preparation design and execution of concrete using Portland blast-furnace slag cement (revised 2001) AIJ AIJ AIJ Draft policy and commentary on execution of crushed blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate concrete (1978) Policy and commentary on execution with blast-furnace slag fine aggregate (1983) Policy and commentary on preparation design and execution Japan Society of Civil Engineers of concrete using ground granulated blast-furnace slag (revised 2001) Execution policy on blast-furnace slag aggregate concrete (1993) civil engineering specifications (civil engineering contractor requirements) (instituted

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JSCE JSCE

Execution policy on concrete using ground granulated blast-furnace slag (1996) Design and execution policy on concrete using electric-arc-furnace oxidizing slag aggregate (2003)

(2) Slag for road-building Japan Road Association Nippon Slag Association NSA NSA NSA NSA NSA Asphalt paving guidelines (revised 1992) Policy on roadbed design and execution with blast-furnace slag (revised 1982) Quality control guidelines for roadbed blast-furnace slag (revised 1985) Policy on roadbed design and execution with steel slag (revised 1985) Quality control guidelines for roadbed steel slag (revised 1985) Policy on asphalt paving design and execution using steel slag (revised 1982) Quality control guidelines for steel slag for hot asphalt mixtures (revised 1983) (3) Slag for port and harbor construction The Japan Port & Harbor Association Technical standards for port and harbor facilities, and commentary (1999) Coastal Development Institute of Technology & NSA CDIT & NSA Handbook on using granulated slag in port and harbor construction (1998) Handbook on using steel slag in port and harbor construction (2000) Council on Promoting Recycling at Ports, Harbors and Airports Policy on recycling technologies in port, harbor and airport infrastructure (2004) 4) Law on Promoting Green Purchasing By resolution of the Cabinet, the majority of ferrous slag products are qualified procurements under the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing. Portland blast-furnace slag cement Blast-furnace slag aggregate 2001 2002 30%+ blast-furnace slag Substitute for natural materials

11

Ferrous-slag admixture roadbed material

2002 2002

Use of ferrous slag for road-building Use of ferrous slag as aggregate 85%+ primary-material weight ratio Quenching of molten blast-furnace slag with high-pressure water Sand compaction pile (SCP) material Substitute for natural materials

Asphalt mixtures with ferrous-slag admixtures Rock wool based on ferrous slag Granulated slag for earthmoving Ferrous slag for ground improvement 2002 2003 2004 2005

Electric-arc-furnace oxidizing slag aggregate

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3.2 Volumes Consumed (1) Blast-Furnace Slag Although blast-furnace slag had already been in use as landfill material, land forming material and roadbed material for on-site roads in steelworks construction prior to 1965, its use has since grown in such applications as roadbed material for ordinary roads, cement material and aggregate for concrete, and since 1979 its use in landfills has fallen to zero. Slag consumption for Portland blast-furnace slag cement has risen annually since the Second Oil Shock of 1979 due to its advantages in resource saving and energy conservation and now accounts for 60% of total consumption of blast-furnace slag.

Cement

Volume (10,000 tons)

Concrete

Roads
In-house Earth work

Figure 6 Blast-furnace slag consumption

13

(2) Steel Slag Because the recycling of steel slag lagged that of blast-furnace slag, at four to five million tons its use in landfills accounted for close to 40% of consumption in around 1980, but recycling has since made progress and use in landfills now accounts for around 3% of the total volume of steel slag generated.

Volume (10,000 tons)

Land reclamation

In-house

Earth work

Roads

Other

Cement

Ground improvement

Figure 7 Steel slag consumption (3) Cumulative Field Sales of Ferrous Slag Product According to Nippon Slag Association figures, cumulative field sales of ferrous slag product since 1978 amount to 790 million tons, 610 million tons of blast-furnace slag product and 180 million tons of steel slag product. Ferrous slag products now have an established reputation as serviceable materials and have gained acceptance in the markets for construction and civil engineering materials. Note Ferrous slag product cumulative field sales amount from 1978 reach to 790 million tons, or around 530 million m3 in volume. Meanwhile, total production of crude steel over the same period was 2.8 billion tons, or around 350 million m3 in volume.

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4. Utility and Usage of Ferrous Slag Products

4.1 Blast-Furnace Slag Products (1) Properties and Primary Applications of Air-Cooled Blast-Furnace Slag Products Air-cooled blast-furnace slag is used as roadbed material because its favorable bite and hydraulic properties promise high bearing capacity. The use of recycled construction material as roadbed material is growing, and composite roadbed materials with admixtures of ferrous slag to improve their physical properties are also in use. Air-cooled blast-furnace slag is also used as coarse aggregate for concrete because it is harmless with respect to alkali-aggregate reactions. The low alkalinity of air-cooled blast-furnace slag allows its use as cement clinker material, and its fertilizer components (CaO, SiO2 and MgO) allow its use as lime silicate fertilizer. Table 1 Properties and applications of air-cooled blast-furnace slag
Property High bearing capacity due to bite and hydraulic properties Little alkali-aggregate reaction due to low SiO2 content Inhibition of alkali-aggregate reactions due to low Na2O and K2O Fertilizer components (CaO and SiO2) Application Roadbed material Coarse aggregate for concrete Cement clinker material Lime silicate fertilizer

(2) Properties and Primary Applications of Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag Products Granulated blast-furnace slag is used as Portland blast-furnace slag cement material, a Portland cement admixture and a concrete additive due to the latent hydraulic properties promised by its pulverizing. Compared to ordinary Portland cement, Portland blast-furnace slag cement enjoys such advantages as the saving of natural materials through the use of a byproduct and, in production, lower energy consumption and CO2 emissions (using 6.5 million tons of slag in cement yields a reduction in CO2 emissions of 4.6 million tons). Concrete employing Portland blast-furnace slag cement further offers superior durability by way of its high resistance to salt damage and its inhibition alkali-aggregate reactions. Granulated blast-furnace slag is used as an earthwork material (in backfilling, covering, embankments and sub-grade improvement, for example) due to its large angle of internal friction in sandy form. Granulated blast-furnace slag is used as a fine aggregate for concrete due to its lack of saline matter and other harmful substances. With the tightening of regulations on the recovery of sea sand on the coasts of the Seto

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Inland Sea, a comprehensive ban was placed on the recovery of sea sand in 2006, and expectations are mounting for granulated blast-furnace slag fine aggregate as a substitute material for sea sand. The fertilizer components (CaO, SiO2 and MgO) of granulated blast-furnace slag are applied for its utilization as lime silicate fertilizer and ground improvement material. Table 2 Properties and applications of granulated blast-furnace slag products Property Application Strong latent hydraulic properties resulting Portland blast-furnace slag cement material from quenching and pulverization Portland cement admixture Concrete additive Large angle of internal friction and light weight Earthwork material (e.g. backfilling, covering, embankment, sub-grades) No chlorides and little alkali-aggregate Fine aggregate for concrete reaction due to low SiO2 content Fertilizer components (CaO and SiO2) Lime silicate fertilizer and ground improvement material (3) Utilization of Blast-Furnace Slag Figure 8 describes consumption, broken down by application, of air-cooled blast furnace slag and granulated blast furnace slag in 2004. Consumption of air-cooled blast-furnace slag was 6.44 million tons, 4% used in-house, 14% for road-building in the leading field-sales application, 3% for cement and 2% for earthwork and ground improvement. Consumption of granulated slag, on the other hand, was 18.88 million tons, 1% used in-house, 59% for cement accounting for the majority as the leading field-sales application, and of the remainder 9% as concrete aggregate and 4% for civil engineering.
Fertilizer, other Concrete Roads In-house Ground improvement

Air-cooled Exports

Civil engineering 1% Domestic cement 3% Concrete 1% Fertilizer, other 1% In-house 1% Roads Civil engineering %

25.32 m tons

Domestic cement

Figure 8 Blast-furnace slag consumption by application (2004) 16

4.2 Steel Slag Products (1) Utility and Primary Applications of Steel Slag Products Steel slag is used as a roadbed material due to the high bearing capacity promised by its hydraulic properties. Because it contains free lime (CaO), steel slag may expand when it comes in contact with water. It is therefore employed after first being stabilized. Taking advantage of its properties of having a greater mass of unit volume and greater angle of internal friction than does natural sand, it is used as a sand substitute as a ground improvement material (sand compaction pile material) in port and harbor construction works. Steel slag is used as cement clinker material for its FeO content and, taking advantage of its fertilizer components (CaO, SiO2, MgO and FeO), as fertilizer and a soil improvement material. Table 3 Properties and applications of steel slag products Property Application Hardness and abrasion resistance Aggregate for asphalt concrete High bearing capacity and little water impact Roadbed material due to bite and hydraulic properties Large internal angle of friction Civil engineering material and ground improvement material (sand compaction material) Chemical constituents (FeO, CaO and SiO 2) Cement clinker material Fertilizer components (CaO, SiO2, MgO and Fertilizer and soil improvement material FeO) (2) Utilization of Steel Slag Consumption of steel slag in 2004 was 13.41 million tons, of which 26% was consumed in-house. Of the remaining 74%, the primary applications were for civil engineering at 32% and for road-building at 26%.
Land reclamation, other Fertilizer, other Domestic cement In-house

Civil engineering

13.41 m tons Roads

Ground improvement

Figure 9 Steel slag consumption by application (2004) 17

4.3 Procurements Qualified Under the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing The reputation achieved by ferrous slag product for its environmental advantages and its performance over many years of use led to the designation of the following ferrous slag products in the qualified procurements list (of products contributing to the mitigation of environmental load) of Law Concerning the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by the State and other Entities (Law on Promoting Green Purchasing), which came into force in 2001. Of total domestic sales of ferrous slag products in 2004, 74% were of those on the qualified procurements list. Table 4 Ferrous slag products included in the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing qualified procurements list Year Criteria Portland blast-furnace slag cement 2001 30%+ Portland blast-furnace slag cement Blast-furnace slag aggregate 2002 Substitute for natural material Roadbed material with ferrous slag 2002 Use of ferrous slag for road-building admixture Asphalt mixture with ferrous slag 2002 Use of ferrous slag as aggregate admixture Rock wool produced from ferrous slag 2002 85%+ primary-material weight ratio Granulated slag for civil engineering 2003 Quenching of molten blast-furnace slag (granulated slag for harbor and port with high-pressure water construction works) Steel slag for ground improvement (steel 2004 Sand compaction pile (SCP) material slag for harbor and port construction works) Electric-arc-furnace oxidizing slag 2005 Concrete aggregate with aggregate electric-arc-furnace oxidizing slag as primary material 4.4 Recycling Technology Policy for Port and Airport Infrastructure: Ferrous Slag Products at MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau General Rule 1.2 Application of the MLIT policy states, Industrial waste includes such material as ferrous slag, coal ash and nonferrous metal slags, and where these are employed as useful materials for such purposes as concrete material, roadbed material and civil engineering material, they shall not constitute waste under the terms of the Waste Management Law. 4.5 Technology Development for Use in Marine Environment Remediation Blocks for use in marine environments (fly-ash-slag concrete, ferrous-slag hydrated solids, ferrous-slag carbonate solids) using ferrous slag as an input material have been 18

developed and their application in actual marine environments has begun. Using ferrous slag as a water and bottom-sediment decontaminant, development of the technology as a means of marine environment remediation continues, with such efforts as to proliferate oceanic phytoplankton and fix CO2. Empirical testing of marine environmental remediation is pursuing the following two avenues. 1) Development of technology for improvement of bottom sediment and water quality in closed brackish waters Marino-Forum 21 is conducting sand-cover testing, initiated in 2003, with granulated slag with the objective of forming a shijimi bivalve (Corbicula japonica) grounds in Lake Shinji. 2) Research and development in slag utilization Development of the following technologies is underway with the assistance of grants from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. (2004-2007) (1) Development of environmental remediation technology for upright sea walls using ferrous-slag hydrated solids (2) Development of technology to expand the applications of ferrous-slag hydrated solids (3) Development of steel-slag stabilization and reformation technology using coal ash (4) Studies on and evaluation of the stability and environmental benefits of using steel slag in marine waters 4.6 Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources The Law for the Promotion of Utilities of Recycled Resources of 1991 designated ferrous slag as a designated byproduct, and the Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources of 2000 designated the steel industry as a designated resource-saving industry and called on it to work to contain the generation of ferrous slag as a byproduct and to promote its use as a recyclable resource. 4.7 Instances of Use in Major Construction Projects Ferrous slag products have long been used in large volumes in major public works projects, such as airport construction, exploiting their properties described above. The most important projects of the past ten years are as follows. 1) Construction during recovery from the Great Hanshin Earthquake (1996, 1.10 million tons of granulated slag product) 2) Ground improvement (SCP) works in the Hiroshima Port Renaissance 21 project (begun 1998, 4.00 million tons of steel slag product)

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3) Soft ground improvement (sand matting) works at Shin-Kitakyushu Airport (2000-02, 1.50 million tons of granulated slag product) 4) Chubu International Airport (2001-04, 1.54 million tons of blast-furnace slag products and 320,000 tons of steel slag product; see next page) 5) Kobe Airport (2003-04, 1.60 million tons of ferrous slag product, including 500,000 tons of granulated slag product and 1.10 million tons of steel slag product) The recent example of Chubu International Airport * Opened in February 2005, Chubu International Airport Centrair engaged with environmental considerations with the aim of being a leading environmental airport. * As part of this effort, around 1.90 million tons of ferrous slag product were employed in runway and taxiway construction, in formation of the airport island and in such applications as apron subgrade material, fine aggregate for concrete, loading embankment material and dredged-spoil solidifier.

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Table 5 Consumption of ferrous slag products at Chubu International Airport by application GranuAirTotal Steel Application lated cooled (000 slag slag slag tons) 1 Revetment Granulated slag for Portland 30 0 0 30 blocks blast-furnace slag cement, fine aggregate for concrete 2 Loading Green buffer covering, loading 0 0 320 320 embankment embankment for petroleum tanks 3 Dredged-spoil Granulated slag for Portland 170 0 0 170 solidifier blast-furnace slag cement 4 Aprons Hearth material, fine aggregate, 110 150 0 260 (parking lot) granulated slag for Portland blast-furnace slag cement 5 Runway & Roadbed material, subgrade 0 710 0 710 taxiway material 6 Terminal Granulated slag for Portland 110 0 0 110 building, other blast-furnace slag cement, fine structures aggregate for concrete 7 Circuit road, Temporary roadbed material 0 260 0 260 parking lot Total slag consumption 420 1,120 320 1,860

(6) Terminal building, other structures

(7) Circuit road, parking lot
(2) Loading embankment

(3) Dredged-spoil solidifier

(4) Aprons

(5) Runway & taxiway

(1) Revetment blocks

Photo 1 Steel slag products used in the construction of Chubu International Airport (Centrair)

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4.8 Chemical Composition of Ferrous Slag Products and Their Conformance to Environmental Standards (1) Chemical Composition Iron and steel products are produced with iron ore, coal to reduce the iron ore and, as a refining agent, limestone produced in Japan, and the ferrous slag byproduct is also produced from these input materials. The composition of ferrous slag, which is the material for ferrous slag products, resembles those of natural rock and Portland cement as shown in Table 6, its primary constituents being lime (CaO) and silica (SiO2). The lime (CaO) in slag is soluble in water and exhibits the same alkalinity as cement and concrete. Because it is generated at temperatures of 1,200C and greater, ferrous slag contains no organic matter whatsoever. Table 6 Chemical composition of ferrous slag (Unit: %) Ferrous slag Comparisons Blast-furnace Steel slag Mountain soil Andesite slag 33.8 13.8 59.6 59.6 42.0 44.3 0.4 5.8 14.4 1.5 22.0 17.3 0.3 17.5 -3.1 6.7 6.4 0.8 2.8 0.8 0.07 0.01 -0.3 5.3 0.1 0.2 1.0 1.5 -0.8

Constituent SiO2 CaO Al2O3 T-Fe MgO S MnD TiO2

Portland cement 22.0 64.2 5.5 3.0 1.5 2.0 ---

Source: Nippon Slag Association

(2) Conformance to Environmental Standards 1) Environmental JIS and Environmental Standards for Ferrous Slag Product Ferrous slag quality has already been specified in
JIS

standards as a civil engineering

material, and as it has been designated in the qualified procurements list of Law Concerning the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by the State and other Entities (Law on Promoting Green Purchasing), the vast majority are utilized effectively. Given the lack of quality standards addressing environmental safety, however, an Environment Ministry notification, KMT-44 of 28 March 2001 issued on the occasion of the revision of the environmental quality standards for soil, stated, While soil environmental standards and measurement methods are invoked for safety evaluations, evaluations must be performed that are appropriate and suited to their current form and the context of their use. In March 2005 JIS K 0058-1 and -2 Test methods for chemicals in slags Parts 1 and 2 were instituted, and work is 22

underway to incorporate ferrous slags for road-building and other specific ferrous slag products into the additions and revisions being made to environmental sections in standards. Tables 7 and 8 give examples of elution test results and content test results on ferrous slag products in their forms of use in accordance with JIS K 0058-1 and -2 Test methods for chemicals in slags Parts 1 and 2. Environmental reference values for ferrous slag products are to be specified in forthcoming
JIS JIS

standards for ferrous slag

products. Those given the tables below are reference values from the environmental quality standards for soil and the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law. The elution test measurements and content test measurements for each of the examples of ferrous slag products used here meet those specified in the environmental quality standards for soil and the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law. Table 7 Elution test results for ferrous slag products according to Environmental JIS Law
(unit: mg/L) Substance Cd Pb Cr6+ As T-Hg Se F B Ref value: Soil elution standard 0.01 max 0.01 max 0.05 max 0.01 max 0.0005 max 0.01 max 0.8 max 1.0 max detectable. Source: Report on Study of Standardization of Energy-Use Rationalization Systems (Standardization studies on standardization of Methods for Testing for Chemical Substances in Recyclable Materials and Products) Blast-furnace slag products Air-cooled slag <0.001 <0.001 <0.02 <0.001 <0.0002 <0.001 0.2 <0.1 Granulated slag <0.001 <0.001 <0.02 <0.001 <0.0002 <0.001 0.1 <0.1 Steel slag products BOF slag <0.001 <0.001 <0.02 <0.001 <0.0002 <0.001 <0.1 <0.1 EAF slag <0.001 <0.001 <0.02 <0.001 <0.0002 <0.001 <0.1 <0.1

N.B. < represents a result below the quantitative limit of the analysis and indicates not

23

Table 8 Content test results for ferrous slag products according to Environmental JIS Law
Blast-furnace slag products Air-cooled Granulated slag slag <0.5 <0.5 <5 <5 <2 <2 <1 <1 <0.2 <0.2 <1 <1 890 490 110 130 (unit: mg/kg) Steel slag products BOF slag <0.5 <5 <2 <1 <0.2 <1 850 90 EAF slag <0.5 <5 <2 <1 <0.2 <1 190 110

Substance Cd Pb Cr6+ As T-Hg Se F B

Ref value: Soil content standard 150 max 150 max 250 max 150 max 15 max 150 max 4000 max 4000 max

N.B. < represents a result below the quantitative limit of the analysis and indicates not detectable. Source: Report on Study of Standardization of Energy-Use Rationalization Systems (Standardization studies on standardization of Methods for Testing for Chemical Substances in Recyclable Materials and Products)

2) Environmental Quality Standards for Soil and Ferrous Slag Products Conventionally environmental safety has been evaluated by elution testing in accordance with environmental quality standards for soil when using ferrous slag products on land. Table 9 is an example of slag product measurements in accordance with the testing methods of the environmental quality standards for soil (The announcement No. 46 by the Environmental Agency). Measurements in these elution test results were also either not detectable or meet the reference values of the environmental quality standards for soil (The announcement No. 46 by the Environmental Agency). Table 9 Example of elution test measurements for ferrous slag products according to environmental quality standards for soil (KanKoku No. 46)
Environmental quality standards for soil 0.01 max 0.01 max 0.05 max 0.01 max 0.0005 max 0.01 max 0.8 max 1.0 max Blast-furnace slag products Air-cooled slag <0.005 <0.001 <0.01 <0.001 <0.0005 0.004 0.26 0.12 Granulated slag <0.005 <0.001 <0.01 <0.001 <0.0005 <0.002 0.16 0.10 (Unit: mg/L) Steel slag products BOF slag <0.005 <0.001 <0.01 <0.001 <0.0005 <0.002 0.62 0.02

Substance Cd Pb Cr6+ As T-Hg Se F B

24

N.B. < represents a result below the quantitative limit of the analysis and indicates not detectable. Source: Nippon Slag Association

3) Dredged Soil Standards and Ferrous Slag Products When using ferrous slag products in marine environments or reclaimed land, environmental safety is evaluated with dredged soil standards in accordance with the Marine Pollution Prevention Law. Table 10 gives example results from elution testing in accordance with the announcement No. 14 by the Environmental Agency on test methods for dredged soil. All save fluorides were not detectable, and the measurements for fluorides meet the reference value for dredged soil. 4) Alkalinity Ferrous slag contains CaO, which reacts with water to produce slaked lime (Ca(OH)2). Because this dissolves into Ca2+ and OH-, it results in a higher pH. Granulated blast-furnace slag has a pH of around 10, air-cooled blast-furnace slag a pH of around 11 and steel slag a pH of around 12, each having an alkalinity roughly equivalent to or lower than crushed concrete rubble, which has a pH of around 12. Granulated blast-furnace slags have been used in large volumes in port and harbor construction works, not least as back-fill material (ca. 1.20 million tons) for breakwaters in construction during recovery from the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Measurements are taken of the pH of the surrounding waters in such cases. These increased only by 0.1 to 0.2 in the vicinity of sections where work with granulated blast-furnace slag was performed, confirming that this slag has almost no impact on the pH of surrounding marine waters. Air-cooled blast furnace slags and steel slags are used primarily on land, especially as roadbed material. They have pH levels of around 11 and 12, respectively, equivalent to or below those of recyclable roadbed material (crushed concrete rubble) and cements that are often used as earth improvement material. As Japanese soil is generally acidic, alkali eluents from slag are absorbed into the soil and neutralize it. When water coming into contact with slag flows directly into a body of water without passing through the soil, neutralization and like measures are taken as necessary.

25

Table 10 Example of elution tests on ferrous slag products according to dredged soil standards (the announcement No. 14 by the Environmental Agency) (Unit: mg/L) Substance Steel slag Quanti- Blast-furnace slag products Evaluation products tation criterion Air-cooled Granulated EAF slag limit slag slag Alkyl mercury compounds ND 0.0005 ND ND ND Hg compounds 0.005 max 0.0005 ND ND ND Cd compounds 0.1 max 0.001 ND ND ND Pb compounds 0.1 max 0.005 ND ND ND Organophosphorus 1 max 0.1 ND ND ND compounds Cr6+ compounds 0.5 max 0.4 ND ND ND As compounds 0.1 max 0.005 ND ND ND Cyanide compounds 1 max 0.1 ND ND ND PCB 0.003 max 0.0005 ND ND ND Cu compounds 3 max 0.005 ND ND ND Zn compounds 5 max 0.01 ND ND ND Flourides 15 max 0.1 0.3 0.26 0-4.4 Trichloroethylene 0.3 max 0.002 ND ND ND Tetrachloroethylene 0.1 max 0.005 ND ND ND Be compounds 2.5 max 0.01 ND ND ND Cr compounds 2 max 0.04 ND ND ND Ni compounds 1.2 max 0.1 ND ND ND V compounds 1.5 max 0.1 ND ND ND Organochlorine compounds 40 max 0.1 ND ND ND Dichloromethane 0.2 max 0.1 ND ND ND Carbon tetrachloride 0.02 max 0.1 ND ND ND 1,2-dichloroethane 0.04 max 0.1 ND ND ND 1,1-dichloroethylene 0.2 max 0.1 ND ND ND Cis-1,2-dichloroethylene 0.4 max 0.1 ND ND ND 1,1,1-trichloroethane 3 max 0.1 ND ND ND 1,1,2-trichloroethane 0.06 max 0.1 ND ND ND 1,3-dichloropropane 0.02 max 0.1 ND ND ND Thiram 0.06 max 0.1 ND ND ND Simazine 0.03 max 0.1 ND ND ND Thiobencarb 0.2 max 0.1 ND ND ND Benzene 0.1 max 0.1 ND ND ND Se compounds 0.1 max 0.1 ND ND ND
Dioxin elution: Measurements were all TEQ zero for air-cooled blast-furnace slag, granulated blast-furnace slag and steel slag. Sources: Blast-furnace slag products Nippon Slag Association, steel slag products -- Handbook on using granulated slag in port and harbor construction (Coastal Development Institute of Technology and Nippon Slag Association)

26

5. Control of Ferrous Slag from Generation to Customer Use

5.1 Production Control of Ferrous Slag Product Slag is generated in several steelmaking processes: the pig iron manufacturing and steelmaking processes with blast furnaces and the steelmaking process with electric arc furnaces. Although these industrial processes were originally designed solely for the production of pig iron and steel, one objective of these processes today is to produce ferrous slag product of high quality. In order to produce product that conforms to application-specific standards (JIS and other standards), steelmakers have devised the following provisions in their production processes. 1) Selection of input materials so as to control the quality of ferrous slag product, as well as the quality of ferrous product (materials processes) 2) Selection of refining conditions appropriate to both iron and slag (melting processes) 3) Slag processing processes to satisfy slag product standards, including vitrification rate and expansion stability (cooling processes) 4) Quality assurance by means of ageing as well as crushing and sieving for granularity control in order to produce the variety of slag products (processing processes) 5) Shipment inspections in order to assure the quality of slag product (shipment process and quality inspection) Only 1 percent of ferrous slag generated is not processed into product; that one percent is segregated and controlled as of the stage at which slag is generated and appropriately controlled and processed as waste.

27

(1) Blast-furnace slag product production process control

Process Raw material processes Smelting processes (blast furnace) Means of controlling quality Material mixture (cement basicity) Molten slag temperature (initial cooling temperature) QC characteristics Chemical composition Chemical composition CaO SiO2 Al2O3 MgO, other Cement basicity Porosity Vitrification rate Granularity Absolute-dry density Water absorption (porosity) Coke, coal Iron ore, sintered ore Blast furnace Hot metal Molten blast-furnace slag Blast-furnace gas Limestone, dolomite ore

Constituent inspection

Constituent inspection

Constituent inspection

Cooling processes (solidification)

Cooling method (cooling speed) 1) Quenching (vitrification) Quenching and granulation by high-pressure water injection Initial cooling temperature control 2) Air-cooling (crystallization) Cooling with air and sprinkling

Granulated slag Quenching and granulation (<5 mm), i.e. vitrification, with high-pressure water in granulation equipment

Granulated blast-furnace slag Quenching and granulation (<5 mm) with initial cooling temperature control and high-pressure water in ex-furnace granulation equipment

Air-cooled slag Air cooling (crystallization) with atmosphere and sprinkling in dry pits

Processing Strength (e.g. modified CBR) Absolute-dry density Mass of unit volume Water absorption (porosity) Removal of magnetic matter Granularity Granularity Coloration (citrine) Consolidation control Coating

Processing Ageing (citrinization)

Processing

Processing processes

Processing Mixture Ageing Coating

Color evaluation

Mixture

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Shipment processes Quality inspection

Steel slag products Cement material Cement basicity Earth working material Fine aggregate for concrete Composition Granularity, fineness Absolute-dry density Absorption, mass by unit volume Roadbed material Coloration, granularity Moisture content Mass by unit volume Modified CBR Coarse aggregate for concrete Composition Granularity, fineness Absolute-dry density Absorption, mass by unit volume

28

(2) Steel slag product production process control (basic oxygen furnace)
Process Raw material processes Smelting processes (BOF) Means of controlling quality Hot-metal composition ratio Scrap screening Refining conditions defined appropriate to steel and scrap both (satisfying quality for both steel and scrap product) Oxygen-stream speed (top-blowing & bottom-blowing) Quicklime volume (basicity) Limit on dolomite use for furnace protection Limit on refining promoter (fluorite) Cooling (crystallization) by air and sprinkling QC characteristics Chemical composition CaO SiO2 FeO P2O5 MgO, other Expansion stability (CaOfree) Cooling with atmosphere and sprinkling (slag pit or slag ladle) Cooling with atmosphere & sprinkling (segregation control in separate yard) Scrap Hot metal Additives (quicklime, other)

Finery (preliminary treatment, basic oxygen furnace)

Steel

Molten steel slag

LD gas

Non-product slag

Processing Crystal structure Expansion stability Strength (e.g. modified CBR) Mass by unit volume Absorption (porosity) Abrasion reduction Removal of magnetic matter Granularity Granularity Expansion characteristics

Processing

Processing

Processing

Digging

Cooling processes (solidification)

Ageing (steam, atmosphere)

Processing processes

Processing Mixture Ageing (steam, atmosphere)

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

Quality inspection

<Issue manifest>

Shipment processes Quality inspection

Steel slag products Roadbed material Granularity Water content Mass by unit volume Modified CBR Immersed expansion ratio Group improvement material Earth working material Fertilizer Landfill disposal, etc

29

(3) Steel slag product production process control (electric arc furnace example)
Process Raw material processes Smelting processes (electric arc furnace) Means of controlling quality Scrap screening Additives Refining conditions defined appropriate to steel and scrap both (satisfying quality for both steel and scrap products Oxygen volume Quicklime volume (basicity) Deoxidation promoter (AL-D) volume Limit on refining promoter (fluorite) Cooling with atmosphere and sprinkling QC characteristics Chemical composition CaO SiO2 FeO, other Scrap Alloy Additives (quicklime, powdered coke)

Melting furnace (electric arc furnace)

Slag reformate Expansion stability (CaOfree) Molten steel slag (oxidizing slag) Molten steel slag (reducing slag)

Non-product slag

Cooling processes (solidification)

Crystal structure Expansion stability Strength (e.g. modified CBR) Mass by unit volume Absorption (porosity) Abrasion reduction Removal of magnetic matter Granularity Granularity Expansion characteristics Physical characteristics Granularity Optimal water content Maximum dry density Modified CBR Mass by unit volume Uniaxial compressive strength Immersed expansion rate

Cooling with atmosphere and sprinkling (slag pit or slag ladle)

Cooling with atmosphere and sprinkling (slag pit or slag ladle)

Cooling with atmosphere and sprinkling (segregation control in separate yard)

Processing processes

Processing Mixture Ageing

Processing

Processing

Mixing Ageing

Expansion stability

Quality inspection

Steel slag products Roadbed material

<Issue manifest>

Shipment processes Quality inspection

Landfill disposal, etc.

30

5.2 Control of Ferrous Slag Product from Shipment to Customer Ferrous slag products are traded as products (valuable resources) at their local market value on the basis of negotiations with customers. Nippon Slag Association released a new edition of the Guidelines on Control of Iron and Steel Slag Product on July 28 of this year from a perspective of ensuring the appropriate utilization of ferrous slag product and preventing problems arising from it, and these are now being incorporated into corporate manuals. The coverage of the Guidelines is as follows. Guidelines on Control of Iron and Steel Slag Product 1. Objectives 2. Scope of Application 3. Member Obligations 4. Quality Control of Iron and Steel Slag Product 5. Selling Control of Iron and Steel Slag Product 5-1. Prior to order acceptance 5-2. Order acceptance and delivery 5-3. Work execution 5-4. Transport of iron and steel slag product 6. Follow-up Surveys Subsequent to Completion of Execution 7. Handling Problems and Concerns about Problems 8. Verification of Manual Utilization and Observance, and Corrective Action
Notes Concerning These Guidelines These Guidelines set forth policy with respect to members and do not constitute any portion of specific contractual matter between members themselves or between members and third parties. Nippon Slag Association makes no guarantee that environmental impact or other problems may be averted by means of usage and contract in accordance with these Guidelines.

31

6. Summary
History of Recycling Ferrous slag is generated in the course of steel production, and ways of recycling slag have been sought throughout the long history of the iron and steel industries. Their traditional use as landfill material has been nearing its limit with the pause in construction of steelworks and the growing social demand for resource saving and energy conservation since around 1970. The steel companies and the industry have since taken on the recycling of ferrous slag as among their important management challenges and have promoted the development of technology, the maintenance of production facilities and certification for ferrous slag products. Certification Four ferrous slag products are specified in
JIS,

and

JIS-specified

product accounts for

64% of field sales volume. The Law on Promoting Green Purchasing qualified procurements list also includes eight ferrous slag products, which account for 74% of field sales volume. Further, ferrous slag is treated as distinct from industrial waste in the MLITs Policy on recycling technologies in port, harbor and airport infrastructure, and large amounts of ferrous slag have long been used in public works projects at the national and local levels. The Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources of 2000 designated the steel industry as a qualified resource-saving industry, and it is now working to contain the generation of ferrous slag as a byproduct and to promote its use as a recyclable resource. Utilization Of ferrous slag generated in blast-furnace and steelmaking processes, 12% is consumed in-house at the steelworks, and the remaining 88% is marketed as ferrous steel product, used in cement, roadbed material, ground improvement material, civil engineering material and fertilizer. Only 1 percent is not fit for product purposes and processed as industrial waste in landfills (manifest processing). Cumulative field sales of ferrous slag product have reached 790 million tons (610 million tons of blast-furnace slag product and 180 million tons of steel slag product) since 1978, according to Nippon Slag Association figures. Ferrous slag products have now secured a reputation as serviceable materials and are generally accepted in the market for construction and civil engineering materials. Control from Generation to Customer Use Ferrous slag product is subject to appropriate quality control and regulation from the

32

selection of the input materials generated through production and processing processes in line with
JIS

standards and customer physical and chemical requirements and is

subject to quality assurance in the form of shipment inspections. Although steelmaking processes were originally designed solely for the production of pig iron and steel, one objective of these processes today is to generate the slag required to produce ferrous slag product of high quality and they are important operational elements in steel production and in equipment design. Ferrous slag product is subject to rigorous control throughout all processes from the stage of slag generation to the production and sale of ferrous slag product. Ferrous slag products are traded as products (valuable resources) at their local market value on the basis of negotiations with customers. Nippon Slag Association has established an Iron and Steel Slag Product Control Manual for sales to ensure appropriate utilization by customers. Significance of Slag Operations in the Steel Industry Thus, steelmakers have for many years taken responsibility in developing technology for the effective utilization of ferrous slag as an iron byproduct, developing markets for it and controlling its sale and distribution. We are confident that the recycling of ferrous slag, its effective utilization and turning it into high-value-added product are important elements of steelmakers competitiveness, that ferrous slag has contributed to resource saving and measures to combat global warming and that it contributes to the formation of a society well grounded in the practice of recycling.

33

Annex

Chronology of Ferrous Slag Activities

Year Technology Development & Certification Blast-furnace slag 1976: NSA institutes Draft policy on roadbed design and execution with blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate 1977: NSA institutes Draft policy on crushed blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate concrete 1976: JIS A 5011 Slag aggregate for concrete instituted Steel slag Other Activities 1966: Six selling companies form the Slag Products Study Group in Osaka 1968: Renamed the Japan Slag Group 1976: Renamed the Japan Slag Society; Japan Iron and Steel Federation 1972: Blast-furnace slag JIS standardization committee formed 1976: Slag resource application committee formed 1977: JISF PR pamphlet Iron & Steel Slag issued Japan Slag Society progressively dissolved, Nippon Slag Association formed with steelmakers (20 members total) Report on effective utilization of ferrous slag in the context of resource saving and energy conservation completed by Science & Technology Agencys Resource Study Group JISF study group on use of ferrous slag overseas visits Europe, North America Technical training sessions held (annually going forward) Ferrous Slag News inaugural issue (3-4 issues annually) Initial publication of Blast-Furnace Slag Market Statistics and Steel Slag

Pre1978

1978

JSCE institutes Draft policy on design and execution with crushed blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate concrete JIS A 5308 Ready-mixed concrete revised Crushed blast-furnace slag recognized as material on basis of Construction Standards Law JRA asphalt paving guidelines revised (ferrous slag included)

1979

JIS A 5015 Iron and steel slag for road construction instituted Ministry of Construction, Building & Repairs Dept revises common construction work specifications (concrete) AIJ includes coarse

aggregate in building work standards specification JASS-5 Ferroconcrete Work JIS R 5210 Portland cement and JIS R 5211 Portland blast-furnace slag cement revised MEPC revises civil engineering materials specifications (for roads, concrete) Housing & Urban Development Corp revises common construction specifications (for roads, concrete) JSCE revises concrete standards specification Hyogo prefecture releases Practical testing of HMS roadbed material Ground improvement technology using granulated slag developed JIS A 5012 Granulated blast-furnace slag fine aggregate for concrete instituted Guidelines on quality control of blast-furnace slag for roadbeds drafted Kinki Regional Construction Bureau releases Experimental work with concrete using blast- furnace slag fine aggregate (started 1979) JSCE institutes Draft policy on design and execution of concrete using blast-furnace slag fine aggregate Policy on roadbed design and execution with blast-furnace slag revised Steel slag expansion stability evaluation test methods harmonized

Production Survey

Initial publication and promotion of technical documentation Utilization of Ferrous Slag in Portland Blast-Furnace Slag Cement

1980

1981

Fertilizer Control Law revised (certification of BOF slag, special fertilizer) Studies on steel slag expansion stability evaluation test method reproducibility

Ferrous Slag Handbook published

1982

Policy on asphalt pavement design and execution using steel slag instituted

JISF study group on steel slag application technologies visits North America

1983

AIJ institutes Policy on concrete execution using blast-furnace slag fine aggregate Ministry of Construction Housing Bureau approves blast-furnace slag fine aggregate as material

Quality control guidelines for steel slag for cured asphalt admixture instituted JRA study on abrasion resistance of BOF-slag asphalt concrete Steel slag expansion stability evaluation test methods compiled Japan Soil Association compiles Experimental studies on agricultural applications of ferrous slag (conducted continuously since 1980) Public Works Research Institute and Public Works Research Center compile joint research on road-building material applications of ferrous slag (conducted since 1979) Roadbed design and execution guidelines for steel slag instituted Roadbed steel slag quality control guidelines instituted

MITI Ministers Award bestowed on corporations making contributions to recycling

1984

AIJ includes fine aggregate in building work standards specification JASS-5 Ferroconcrete Work Response to citrine incidents involving blastfurnace slag (review of quality assurance system)

Regular work of JISF Slag Recycling Committee transferred to NSA Consolidation of statistics including cement supply and demand, slag supply volume, etc. Initial publication of Steel Slag Market Statistics Initial publication of Steel Slag Statistics Annual Steel Slag Bulletin (monthly) inaugurated, PR activities Field survey conducted on roadbed material production and quality control Studies of New Kansai Airport and Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway major projects Granulated slag for civil engineering PR pamphlet issued

1985

JIS A 5015 Iron and steel slag for road construction revised Guidelines on quality control of blast-furnace slag for roadbeds revised General ageing tests for blast-furnace slag Validity of alkali-aggregate reaction of blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate verification PWRI & PWRC complete and compile Joint studies to verify inhibition of alkali aggregate reactions (initiated 1985) JSCE revises Reinforced Concrete Specification and institutes Draft standard ground

1986

Experimental testing of steel slag roadbed material performed by Aichi and Hyogo prefectures, Kobe city and Kyushu Regional Construction Bureau

Technical briefing held on Portland blast-furnace slag cement and steel slag roadbed material Studies of Minato Mirai 21 and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge major projects Joint research results presented to 7th

granulated blast-furnace slag for concrete Ministry of Construction notification on Provisional measures for alkali-aggregate reactions JIS R 5210 Portland cement and JIS A 5308 Ready-mixed concrete revised Fertilizer Control Law revised: slag silicate fertilizer (ordinary fertilizer) JSCE institutes Draft policy on design and execution of concrete using ground granulated blast-furnace slag CDIT compiles Joint research on granulated slag in port and harbor construction works (initiated 1985) Joint research with Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau completed on alkali-aggregate reactions (initiated 1986) Tohoku University research into blast-furnace slag engineering mechanisms Research on utilization of ground granulated blastfurnace slag Tohoku University research on establishing optimal ageing methods for blast-furnace slag Research into utilization of granulated slag for civil engineering material Joint research with Building Research Experimental testing of steel slag roadbed materials by Osaka and Himeji cities

International Conference on Alkali-Aggregate Reactions (Canada)

PR activities for Portland blast-furnace slag cement Properties and Utility of Steel Slag PR pamphlet issued

1987

JRA revises Asphalt paving guidelines

1988

Promotion of JSCE Design and execution policy for ground granulated blast-furnace slag Government-industry coordination for stable slag supply Study of high-standard arterial road major project Trend assessment and analysis of slag competitors Field survey conducted of

Institute on high-strength concrete in new reinforced-concrete structures Research into rapid analysis methods for blast-furnace slag 8th International Conference on AlkaliAggregate Reactions Handbook on Using Granulated Slag for Port and Harbor Construction Works drafted, lecture presented Study of ground granulated blast-furnace slag contracted to AIJ Joint research on RCD technology initiated with Japan Institute of Construction Engineering Revision of policy on blast-furnace slag aggregates contracted to JSCE Manual for Use of Granulated Slag for Civil Engineering drafted Research initiated into water and bottom sediment purification using steel slag (red tide and blue tide countermeasures) (Water & Bottom Sediment Purification Research Evaluation Committee established)

roadbed material production and quality control

1989

1990

Special cement including ground granulated slag used in work connected with Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Ground granulated blast-furnace slag and Portland blast-furnace slag cement certified as EcoMark products Promotion of Portland blast-furnace slag cement included in Global Warming Prevention Plan adopted by Council of Ministries for Global Environment Conservation Promotional PR for Portland blast-furnace slag cement, other

products, with government authorities Properties and Utility of Steel Slag pamphlet revised Japan Testing Center for Construction Materials forms JIS revision drafting committee for slag aggregate for concrete Coal-ash-mixed BOF slag roadbed material test equipment at Hyogo prefecture Practical testing of EAF slag by Hyogo prefecture EAF slag roadbed material test equipment at Ehime prefecture JIS A 5015 revised from Road-building slag to Iron and steel slag for road construction (due to standardization of ferrous slag) Research initiated on application of steel slag to harbor and port civil engineering works materials Research into expanded utilization of steel slag in cement input materials BOF slag roadbed material test equipment (Osaka prefecture) Report on water and bottom-sediment purification testing with steel slag drafted by Water & Bottom Sediment Purification Research Evaluation Committee Steel Slag Sand-Cover Utilization Research Committee established (joint research with CDIT) Committee on Technical Research into Application of Steel Slag to Port & Harbor Construction Law for the Promotion of Utilization of Recycled Resources (Recycling Law) enacted (ferrous slag designated a qualified byproduct)

1991

JIS A 5011 Slag aggregate for concrete revised (blast-furnace slag coarse aggregate and fine aggregate standards unified, ferronickel slag fine aggregate standard added) 1992

JISF formulates action policy on environment Production initiated of reinforced concrete using ground granulated slag for Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway Corp.

1993

JIS drafting committee formed for ground granulated blast-furnace slag for concrete Revision of policy on ground granulated blastfurnace slag contracted to JSCE Research into high- flow concrete contracted to JIA Research into high- flow concrete contracted to JSCE Chugoku Regional Construction Bureau

Properties and Utility of Steel Slag pamphlet revised

certification of granulated slag for civil engineering

Works inaugurated (joint research with CDIT) Composite-slag roadbed material test equipment at Chiba, Ibaragi prefectures Certification of complex-slag roadbed material with recycled concrete and ferrous slag by Kitakyushu city Certification of EAF- slag upper-layer roadbed material by Osaka prefecture Certification of steel slag roadbed material by Aichi, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima prefectures Certification of composite-slag roadbed material by Chiba, Ibaragi prefectures Market coordination to meet slag requirements in connection with recovery from Great Hanshin- Awaji Earthquake Steel slag used in landfill compartment banking in artificial in Tamajima Bay, Okayama prefecture Over one million tons of granulated blast-furnace slag used in recovery work after Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Slag News resumes publishing 27 ordinary-steel EAF operators provide data for NSA steel slag market statistics (near 100% coverage)

Drafting of policy on ground granulated blastfurnace slag contracted to AIJ 1994

1995

JIS A 6206 Ground granulated blast-furnace slag for use in concrete instituted Ground granulated blastfurnace slag incorporated into JIS standards dealing with concrete products (JIS A 5327 Manhole rubble for sewerage, JIS A 5345 Ferroconcrete gutters for roads) AIJ drafts draft policy on design and execution of concrete mixtures using ground granulated blastfurnace slag, presents lecture on same

Experimental work conducted with steel slag as steel-plate hearting material in Yokkaichi Bay temporary shore protection work (joint research with Transport Ministry 5th Ports & Harbors Construction Bureau and CDIT) Studies initiated towards JIS standardization of EAF oxidizing slag concrete aggregate New Soil Improvement Material Study Group launched in Chubu area with focus on EAF reducing slag

 Certification of BOF upper-lay roadbed material by Osaka prefecture Deliberation on revision of JIS A 6206 Ground granulated blast-furnace slag for use in concrete (compliance with ISO method for mortar test methods, other) JSCE revises execution policy for concrete using ground granulated blastfurnace slag, presents lecture on same Experimental work performed with steel slag SCP technology in shore protection works at Kobe Rokko Island. Special Committee on EAF Slag formed within Technical Committee Preparatory Committee for EAF Oxidizing Slag Use Research inaugurated Ferrous slag expansion stability test methods and NSA rapid simple test methods unified Study group with Kanto Regional Construction Bureau inaugurated with view to promoting use of ferrous slag in road-building English version drafted of Properties and Utility of Steel Slag pamphlet Granulated slag exports exceed one million tons JISF formulates Voluntary Action Plan on Environmental Safeguards in the Steel Industry Assisted with formulation of Environment Agencys recycling guidelines Environmental Technologies Working Group formed within Technology Committee Study group dispatched to study current ferrous slag recycling practices in Europe (seeking international coordination on environmental issues)

1996

1997

JIS A 6206 Ground granulated blast-furnace slag for use in concrete revised Common construction industry specifications revised (ground granulated blast-furnace concrete incorporated as additive for mass concrete Sub grade granulated slag testing equipment operated, certified by Chiba prefecture JIS A 5011 Slag aggregate for concrete revised (made JIS A 5011-1 Blastfurnace slag aggregate Feasibility studies initiated on application of granulated slag as SCP material for port and

Experimental offshore SCP work performed with steel slag in Dejima district of Hiroshima Bay In-situ marine testing heads for suspension in steel slag application research to water and bottom-sediment purification (use as sandcover material) Steel slag roadbed material certified by Osaka city JISF conducts production testing of wavesuppressor blocks using EAF oxidizing slag (research contracted by Clean Japan Center) Exploration of steel slag handbook for harbor and port construction work use New Soil Improvement

1998

JISF Research Group for the Expanded Use of Ferrous Slag inaugurated Activities initiated for

harbor construction works JIS A 5308 Ready-mixed concrete revisions announced (ground granulated blast-furnace slag incorporated as additive) Zennama (national confederation of ready-mixed concrete businesses) drafts Production Manual for Concrete Using Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (collaboration by ready-mixed concrete, cement and slag industries)

Material Study Group report drafted (EAF reducing slag)

accepting orders for Chubu International Airport Full-fledged use of steel slag in offshore SCP work in Hiroshima prefecture, 1.20 million tons delivered Properties and Utility of Steel Slag pamphlet revised

EAF Oxidizing Slag Utilization Research Committee inaugurated 1999

Portland Blast-Furnace Slag Cement Promotional Working Group inaugurated Exploration of slag use begins in Phase II of Kansai Airport project and New Kitakyushu Airport and Kobe Airport projects Law Concerning the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by the State and other Entities (Law on Promoting Green Purchasing) promulgated Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society promulgated Law for Promotion of Effective Utilities of Resources (revision of Law for the Promotion of Utilization of Recycled Resources) instituted, designating the steel industry a qualified resource-saving industry

2000

Sub grade replacement method using granulated slag for civil engineering registered with MLIT NETIS (New Technology Information System) Development of bottomsediment improvement material using granulated blast-furnace slag: Participation in experimental Marino-Forum 21 project (Lake Shinji environmental remediation research) Expanded availability of granulated slag for civil engineering: Experimental

Steel Slag Handbook for Port and Harbor Construction Work issued by CDIT & NSA

granulated slag SCP work in Hakata Island City landfill project (joint research with CDIT), evaluations of granulated backfill material performed in Yokosuka Bay Kurihama district Ministry of Construction building work specifications revised, standardizing Portland blast-furnace slag cement for cast-in-place piles AIJ issues revised policies on Portland blast-furnace slag cement and ground granulated blast-furnace slag Participation in experimental Marino-Forum 21 project (Lake Shinji environmental remediation research), empirical testing of sand-cover conducted at Kyobashikawa in Matsue city JIS drafting committee inaugurated for EAF oxidizing slag

(slag byproducts) Granulated slag employed as sand matting material at Kitakyushu Airport NSA website goes live

2001

Portland blast-furnace slag cement listed as eligible for green procurements in Law on Promoting Green Purchasing Fluorine soil environmental quality standards Q&A and About the environmental quality standards drafted 2001 Industrial Waste Preventive Measures (eluent evaluation standards formulated for use of ferrous slag material) Steel Industry Foundation for the Advancement of Environmental Protection Technology (SEPT) compiles Research Directions in High-Value-Added Creation and Productization of Ferrous Slag and on Future Research Challenges and Selected Essays on Ferrous Slag

2002

MLIT Tohoku Regional Bureau adopts Portland blast-furnace slag cement for civil engineering works Portland blast-furnace slag cement acquires special approval in Law for Assurance of Residential Quality

JSCE issues Design and execution guidelines for use in concrete of EAF oxidizing slag aggregate

Ferrous slag-mixed roadbed material, ferrous slag-mixed asphalt admixture, rock wool and blast-furnace slag aggregate made eligible for Green Purchasing Law procurements Slag use in Chubu

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 Use of Portland Blast-Furnace Slag Cement for Cement PR pamphlet issued, revised version issued annually thereafter MAFF employs Portland blast-furnace slag cement for civil engineering works Slag aggregate for concrete: JIS revisions blast- furnace slag 2003 Quality control manual drafted for EAF oxidizing slag aggregate Slag aggregate for concrete: JIS standard instituted for EAF oxidizing slag

International Airport construction Slag use terminates in New Kitakyushu Airport Phase I & II construction Slag Glossary posted on website Granulated slag for civil engineering eligible for Green Purchasing Law procurements Progress towards slag use in construction of New Kitakyushu Airport Chubu International Airport opens (1.90 million tons of ferrous slag used) Cumulative steel slag deliveries of four million tons for offshore SCP projects in Hiroshima prefecture Steel slag for ground improvement made eligible for Green Purchasing Law procurements MLIT Ports and Harbors Bureau issues Policy on recycling technologies in port, harbor and airport infrastructure Promotion of ferrous slag usage in Kobe Airport construction (1.60 million tons) Slag product adopted for Phase II of Kansai Airport construction Website pages for beginners posted

2004

Revision of criteria for EcoMark approval make Portland blast-furnace slag cement, ground granulated blast-furnace slag and ferrous slag for road-building eligible Testing begins of granulated slag sand-cover material at Lake Shinji

EAF Slag Promotion Committee inaugurated First JIS-certified plant for EAF oxidizing slag aggregate

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