How is ferrovanadium produced in an electric-arc furnace?

The production of ferrovanadium, which typically contains 35–80 percent vanadium, is carried out in an electric-arc furnace. The process involves the following steps:

• Melting: Scrap iron is first melted in the furnace.
• Charging: A mixture of vanadium pentoxide ($V_2{O}_5$), aluminum, and a flux—such as calcium oxide or calcium fluoride—is added to the molten iron.
• Reaction: An exothermic oxidation-reduction reaction occurs where the aluminum reduces the $V_2{O}_5$ to vanadium metal, which then dissolves into the molten iron. The aluminum is converted into alumina, forming a slag.
• Heating: Because the reaction is exothermic, the furnace only needs to reach a kindling temperature of 950° C (1,750° F). Once the reaction is kindled, the electrodes are withdrawn until the process is complete.
• Refining: Finally, the electrodes are reinserted into the molten slag to reheat the furnace, which improves the settling of the alloy.1