The concept of slag is used in our language to refer to various issues.
Waste substance generated by melting metals
It can be a glassy-looking substance that floats at the bottom of the furnaces that are used to melt metals and that precisely comes from the impurities that result from this particular action.
Then, slag is a product resulting from the action of melting certain metals with the mission of purifying them, being the slag those impurities that are produced at the behest of that particular activity.
Slag uses
Now, beyond the fact that it is a waste material, the slag, paradoxically, is not thrown away but is processed again to separate some other metal that is available in its constitution and is reused in other matters, for example. example as fertilizer or for railway stone.
Other uses of the term
Also the word designates those hot pieces of iron that jump naturally when struck with an element such as a hammer.
On the other hand, at the behest of volcanoes, the very porous lava that comes out of them and which is a metal by the way, is also called slag.
The residue that remains after the coal is burned is also called slag.
And finally, in colloquial use, the word is used with a very clear and direct negative connotation, to say something or someone that is despicable, vile or mean. "That man is a scum, he has mistreated and deceived my daughter so much."
Then, from the exposed references it is evident that we can use the concept as a synonym for other concepts such as garbage, waste, impurity, residue, among the most common and used.
Clearly, the word slag does not have a common use when it comes to wanting to refer that it is a waste, a garbage, although it is correct that it is applied to express it, the most common is to use some of the synonyms that just We mention, such as garbage, waste, to express those issues. Meanwhile, if it is very familiar in the field where the task of melting metals is carried out.
