How is ferrochrome silicon made?

Ferrochrome silicon is produced through a smelting process that involves adding silica to the furnace charge until its weight is equal to that of the ore.1

Because the reduction of silica to silicon requires significant energy, this process consumes approximately 7,600 kilowatt-hours of electricity per ton of product. The resulting alloy typically contains 38–42 percent silicon and less than 0.1 percent carbon. It serves as an essential intermediate material for manufacturing low-carbon ferrochromium and acts as a deoxidizer in the production of stainless steel.1