Ladle metallurgy refers to the refining processes that occur in the ladle after the molten steel is tapped from the furnace but before it is cast into solid form.
These processes aim to improve the quality of steel by adjusting its chemical composition, removing non-metallic inclusions, and controlling temperature.
Techniques like degassing, deoxidation, desulfurization, and alloy addition are part of ladle metallurgy, making it synonymous with secondary steel refining.
It is not related to ore crushing, electrolysis, or ore concentration, which are part of earlier stages in metal extraction.