The aim of this study is to analyze the potential of decarbonization of steel production in Slovakia and Czech Republic. The study examines the European CO2 emissions policy, steel production trends, and the European emission trading system (EU ETS) allowances and emissions of Slovakia and Czech Republic steel producers. The production of iron, steel and non-ferrous metals has a significant presence in Slovakia and Czech Republic. The metal industry, mainly iron and steel, is one of the largest energy-consuming industry, followed by non-metallic minerals. Steel making ranks as one of the three highest CO2 emitting industries, and since production occurs in a limited number of locations – the U.S. Steel Košice, s. r. o. steel-mill being the largest single producer of emissions in Slovakia and Třinecké Železárny, a. s. with Liberty Ostrava, a. s. being ones of the largest in Czech Republic – they are prime candidates for decarbonization. This paper deals with the analysis of the metallurgical sector of steel production in Slovakia and the Czech Republic using the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

This article is aimed to study theoretical knowledges related to deep steel desulfurization and their practical application in specific production conditions. The main goal of this study was to verify the efficiency of added CaSi to processed heats in two batches, i.e., first for deep desulfurization at the beginning of the secondary metallurgy and then in a second smaller batch at the end of that process for final modification. At the beginning of the secondary metallurgy process, it was crucial to prepare a suitable chemical composition of ladle slag with advantageous properties for good assimilation of sulfur-based inclusions from desulfurization reactions. Samples were taken of final basic oxygen furnace slag, ladle slag before the deep desulfurization process at the beginning of secondary metallurgy and ladle slag at the end of processing. Detailed cleanliness analyses of steel samples taken from mold during the casting were performed using the Automated Steel Cleanliness Analyses Tool. For better understanding and interpretation of the obtained cleanliness results and their relationship, the following defined parameters were used: ratio of “Ca/Al” oxide inclusions, percentage of “liquid” inclusions and area of CaS inclusions.

The purpose of this study was to conduct experiments comprising the high-temperature reduction treatment of commercially produced iron ore fines and lumps aimed at increasing the use value of the ore. The analysed ore was Ukrainian iron ore sold under the Rudomain commercial name, mined from a bed located in the southern part of the Saksagan region (Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine). The study describes in detail the basic physical, chemical, and physico-chemical properties of the analysed ore, and it comprised a thermodynamic analysis, which is typically used as the basis for defining reduction conditions. The Ukrainian ore—Rudomain—exhibited a lower total Fe content (58.20 wt%) and, by contrast, the highest SiO2 content (13.40 wt%), whereas SiO2 is present in this type of ore not only in form of silica (SiO2) but also in form of hydrated iron silicate (Fe3Si2O5(OH)4), i.e., the form of iron that is the most difficult to reduce. In the study, tests of thermal stability and thermal shock stability were carried out in various conditions, while the hardened pellets were thermally stable up to temperatures of 950 °C. The results of the performed experiments in high-temperature reduction of Rudomain iron ore were then compared with the results obtained with two other types of iron ores, in particular Krivbas and Carajas. Krivbas and Carajas ores show higher degrees of reduction and degrees of metallization than Rudomain ore. High-temperature experiments in thermal stability and carbothermic reduction have brought favourable information that is useful for the treatment of lower-grade ores with higher contents of SiO2, while Rudomain iron ore exhibited a rather good potential for effective metallisation.

The metallurgical sector is one of the main pillars of European industry. Steel is important not only for modern economies of developed countries but is an essential part of building infrastructure in developing countries, and thus in the coming decades, global demand for steel is expected to increase to meet growing social and economic needs. Currently, however, the steel industry is among the top three producers of CO2 emissions. Steel producers have a great opportunity to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions and improve energy consumption efficiency, thereby increasing their competitiveness, mainly through optimizing, digitalization and innovating the production process by introducing low-carbon technologies and increasing the efficiency of raw material and energy resources. This scientific article is focused on developing advanced mathematical prediction models and analysis of steel production processes. By utilizing modern BAT and ITs technologies, this research aims to improve the competitiveness of the steel industry by optimizing production processes and through the integration of datasets and analysis techniques contribute to reducing the carbon emissions in steel production through energy consumption optimization and the implementation of sustainable practices. Through the utilization of mathematical prediction models and advanced analysis techniques, the article aims to optimize steel production processes and enhance the competitiveness of the metallurgical sector.

The 30th International Scientific Conference on Modern Metallurgy—Iron and Steelmaking 2023 (IaSM 2023) was organized by the Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy, and Recycling at the Technical University of Košice in Slovakia, in collaboration with the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, VŠB—Technical University of Ostrava in the Czech Republic—and the Faculty of Materials Engineering at the Silesian University of Technology in Poland. The conference took place in hotel Yasmin from 27–29 September 2023, in Košice, Slovakia, and successfully gathered more than 120 participants, including PhD students and representatives from various industries, hailing from six different countries: the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Romania, and Serbia. The primary objective of the conference was to serve as a forum for the exchange of the latest advancements in science and technical developments within the realm of metallurgy. Over the years, the conference has become a tradition, drawing participants not only from scientific and research institutions but also from international industry, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Vysokoškolská učebnica „Redukčné procesy a inovatívne testovanie vysokoteplotných vlastností rudných surovín (podnadpis: Vodík ako alternatívne redukovadlo v metalurgii)“ prináša súčasné pohľady na redukčné procesy a testovanie rudných surovín v rámci metalurgických technológií výroby železa, ocele a ferozliatin. Táto vysokoškolská učebnica je orientovaná do oblasti využitia uhlíkatých a alternatívnych redukovadiel (predovšetkým vodíka) v metalurgickom sektore. Aplikácia najnovších vedecko-výskumných poznatkov jednak z laboratórnych experimentov, ako aj z reálnych výsledkov z praxe do vzdelávacieho procesu je jedným z kľúčových nástrojov modernizácie vysokoškolského vzdelávania, najmä na technicky orientovaných univerzitách. Tieto kľúčové činitele dokážu najlepšie pripraviť študentov pre reálne potreby aktuálneho trhu práce. A práve táto vysokoškolská učebnica má ambíciu stať sa dôležitým nástrojom pre rozvoj zručností študentov v oblasti vysokoteplotného testovania rudných surovín pre metalurgický priemysel.

The global metallurgical industry is at a critical juncture, facing the urgent challenge of reducing its carbon footprint while maintaining economic viability and industrial competitiveness. Historically reliant on carbon-intensive processes, the steel and iron sector is among the largest industrial sources of CO₂ emissions, making its transformation essential in the fight against climate change. Today, as regulatory pressures intensify, market demand for sustainable solutions grows, and technological advancements accelerate, decarbonisation has shifted from a long-term goal to an immediate necessity. The transition is complex, requiring a fundamental rethinking of traditional processes while ensuring economic stability and industrial resilience.

Hosťujúci editor časopisu