China Calcium Silicon (CaSi) Price: Market Snapshot, Grades and Alloy Guide

1. China Calcium Silicon Market Overview

China is one of the major global producers and exporters of calcium silicon alloy (CaSi). The material is widely used in steelmaking as a multifunctional alloy additive for:

Deoxidization

Desulfurization

Inclusion modification

Improvement of molten steel cleanliness

Calcium silicon is particularly important in the production of:

Low-alloy steels

High-quality structural steels

Special steels

Continuous casting steels

Because CaSi directly affects steel cleanliness and inclusion control, buyers usually focus on:

Calcium content

Silicon content

Particle size

Impurity levels

Consistency between batches

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2. Historical Calcium Silicon Price Snapshot

The following prices are provided as a historical market reference only.

Product	Grade	Historical Export Price (USD/ton)	Basis
Calcium Silicon	Ca30Si60	USD 1,800–1,900/ton	FOB China, December 16, 2022
Calcium Silicon	Ca28Si58	USD 1,750–1,850/ton	FOB China, December 16, 2022

Important Note:
Calcium silicon prices fluctuate according to:

Raw material costs

Electricity prices

Ferroalloy market conditions

Steel industry demand

Export market conditions

The above figures should not be used as current purchasing prices. Buyers should request the latest quotation based on grade, quantity and delivery terms.

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3. What Is Calcium Silicon (CaSi)?

Calcium silicon is a ferroalloy composed mainly of:

Calcium (Ca)

Silicon (Si)

Iron (Fe)

It is produced through the carbothermal reduction process in an electric furnace, where raw materials such as:

Silica

Lime

Carbonaceous reducing agents

react at high temperatures to form CaSi alloy.

The production process requires high energy input because calcium has a strong affinity for oxygen and requires controlled reduction conditions.

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4. Common Calcium Silicon Grades

Typical commercial CaSi grades include:

Grade	Calcium Content	Silicon Content	Typical Application
Ca30Si60	30–33% Ca	55–60% Si	Steel deoxidization and inclusion modification
Ca28Si58	28–30% Ca	55–60% Si	General steelmaking applications

Actual specifications may vary according to customer requirements and applicable standards.

Common reference standard:

GB/T 33042 - Calcium Silicon Alloy

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5. Role of Calcium Silicon in Steelmaking

5.1 Deoxidization

Calcium silicon reacts with oxygen-containing compounds in molten steel.

Benefits include:

Reducing dissolved oxygen

Improving steel cleanliness

Lowering oxide-related defects

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5.2 Desulfurization

Calcium has a strong affinity for sulfur.

CaSi helps:

Reduce sulfur content

Improve steel ductility

Enhance mechanical properties

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5.3 Inclusion Modification

During steel production, aluminum deoxidization may generate hard alumina (Al₂O₃) inclusions.

Calcium treatment modifies these inclusions by converting solid alumina particles into calcium aluminates with lower melting points.

Advantages:

Improved inclusion shape

Better floatation behavior

Reduced nozzle clogging risk

Improved continuous casting stability

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6. Main Factors Affecting Calcium Silicon Prices

6.1 Raw Material Costs

The main raw materials include:

Silica

Lime

Coke or other carbon reducing agents

Changes in raw material availability directly influence production costs.

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6.2 Electricity Costs

Calcium silicon production requires electric furnaces operating at very high temperatures.

Therefore, electricity prices strongly affect:

Production cost

Factory operating rates

Market supply

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6.3 Steel Industry Demand

Steel production is the main consumption driver.

Demand increases with:

Higher-quality steel production

Automotive steel

Pipeline steel

Special alloy steel manufacturing

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6.4 Supply and Export Conditions

Prices may also be affected by:

Domestic production capacity

Environmental restrictions

Export demand

International freight costs

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7. Calcium Silicon Purchasing Guide

When requesting a CaSi quotation, buyers should specify:

Product Requirements

Include:

Grade (Ca30Si60, Ca28Si58 or customized grade)

Calcium content

Silicon content

Particle size

Packaging requirements

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Commercial Terms

Confirm:

FOB / CIF / EXW terms

Loading port

Delivery schedule

Minimum order quantity

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Quality Documentation

Request:

Certificate of Analysis (COA)

Chemical composition report

Mill test certificate

Packing list

Key inspection items:

Ca %

Si %

Al %

C %

P %

S %

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8. Calcium Silicon vs Other Steel Additives

Material	Main Function	Typical Application
Calcium Silicon (CaSi)	Deoxidization, desulfurization, inclusion modification	Clean steel production
Ferrosilicon (FeSi)	Silicon alloying and deoxidization	General steelmaking
Silicon Calcium Barium (SiCaBa)	Enhanced inclusion modification	High-quality steel
Calcium Carbide (CaC₂)	Desulfurization and reducing agent	Metallurgical treatment

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FAQ About Calcium Silicon Alloy

1. What is calcium silicon used for?

Calcium silicon is mainly used in steelmaking for deoxidization, desulfurization and modification of non-metallic inclusions.

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2. What are the common CaSi grades?

The most common export grades are:

Ca30Si60

Ca28Si58

The exact composition depends on customer requirements and steelmaking conditions.

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3. Why is calcium silicon expensive compared with ferrosilicon?

CaSi requires higher production energy and more complex reduction conditions because calcium is difficult to reduce from calcium oxide.

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4. How does calcium silicon improve steel quality?

CaSi modifies hard oxide inclusions into more favorable calcium-containing compounds, improving steel cleanliness and casting performance.

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5. What information should buyers provide when purchasing CaSi?

Buyers should specify:

Grade

Chemical composition

Particle size

Quantity

Packaging

Delivery terms