Technical characteristics of metal calcium cored wire
Structural innovation: Seamless metal calcium cored wire uses 08Al low-carbon steel strip to wrap high-purity calcium core (Ca≥97%), and achieves a fully sealed structure through extrusion process. Compared with the traditional buckle edge pressing process, its calcium content can reach 98% and there is no internal gap, which significantly reduces calcium oxidation loss. The steel strip thickness of solid pure calcium wire reaches 1.0-1.5mm, which can withstand higher wire feeding speed (60-120 m/s) to ensure that calcium vapor is released deep in the molten steel.
Metallurgical performance advantages: High recovery rate: The calcium recovery rate is 52% higher than that of traditional silicon calcium wire. Ma Steel’s test shows that the recovery rate has increased from 12% to 37%;
Purity control: Avoid oxide contamination (such as Al₂O₃, FeO) of powder cored wire, transform inclusions in steel into spherical CaO-Al₂O₃-CaS composite phase, and improve the problem of continuous casting nozzle blockage;
Process stability: The calcium content per meter is precisely controlled (58-68g/m), and the feed amount is only 1/4-1/3 of the calcium iron wire, reducing the processing cost of 3-8 yuan per ton of steel.
Special process design: The continuous production process of preheating → extrusion → argon protection is adopted, the calcium rod density is ≥67g/m, and the storage period can reach 1 year without oxidation. The splash-proof model reduces the splash of molten steel by more than 30% through thickening the steel shell (1.5mm) and yellowing the calcium core.
Current market situation of metal calcium cored wire applications
Industry distribution
Steel smelting: accounting for 70% of global demand, mainly used for refining of high-end steel grades such as SPHC low-carbon steel and automotive plates, with a market penetration rate of over 70% in North America and 40% in Europe;
Special alloys: used for deoxidation of rare metals such as titanium and uranium, and lead-calcium alloy battery enhancers (creep resistance increased by 20%);
Emerging fields: special scenarios such as nuclear industry uranium purification and high-purity argon preparation.
Regional market structure
Production side: China and Russia account for 80% of the world’s 15,000 tons of electrolytic calcium production capacity, and Anyang and Shandong are the main industrial clusters;
Price system: In 2025, the ex-factory price of solid pure calcium wire (∮9mm) is 10,500-11,800 yuan/ton, and the export FOB price is 1,670-1,750 US dollars/ton (Tianjin Port);
Technical barriers: European and American companies have withdrawn from the competition due to environmental protection costs, and Chinese manufacturers have achieved mass production of military-grade high-purity calcium (Ca≥99.5%) through the DB13/T 1670-2012 standard.
Development trend
Driven by continuous casting technology: The demand for thin plate continuous casting drives the annual growth rate of solid calcium wire to 8%, and the global market size is expected to exceed 5 billion yuan in 2026;
Green metallurgical transformation: Calcium treatment can reduce the amount of desulfurizer by 30%, which is highly consistent with the carbon neutrality goal;
Composite innovation: Calcium aluminum and calcium magnesium double-layer cored wire (Ca>96%+Al>98%) have become new solutions for aluminum-killed steel treatment.