Electric Arc Steelmaking Waste Recycling within the Circular Economy Framework

<jats:p>This study presents an integrated approach to recycling Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) waste within a circular economy. EAF waste, including EAF slag, Ladle Furnace (LF) slag, aspiration dust, and Charge Preparation Shop (CPS) waste, was analyzed using the XRF and XRD methods. The predominance of iron oxide and calcium-magnesium-silicate phases was established, confirming the feasibility of secondary iron recovery and the use of slag in construction materials. Reductive smelting of ore-coke briquettes yielded a metallized product with an iron content of 85%–90%, as well as "iron-free" slag, which was used as a filler for structural concrete, along with LF slag. The most effective composition of ore-coke briquettes contained 45% waste from the CPS, 23% aspiration dust, 23% EAF slag, and 9% coke breeze. The compressive strength of the structural concrete ranged from 20.1 MPa to 33.6 MPa. The proposed process flow diagram ensures the comprehensive recycling of solid waste from electric steelmaking, reducing waste disposal volumes and producing in-demand metallurgical and construction materials within a unified circular economy process chain.</jats:p>