In ladle metallurgy, desulphurization is a crucial step in refining steel to reduce sulfur content, which improves the ductility and toughness of the final product.
Calcium is commonly injected into the ladle as calcium silicide or pure calcium. It reacts with sulfur to form calcium sulfide (CaS), which is removed as part of the slag:
\[
\text{Ca} + \text{S} ⇒ \text{CaS}
\]
Other elements like oxygen and aluminium may play roles in deoxidation, and carbon is used for adjusting carbon content, but they are not effective in sulfur removal in ladle operations.