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[Ifeno]

So apparently there's some kind of metal that i can mix with marble to make steel.  Where might i find this metal and what is it called?  Sorry i cant access wiki else idve looked it up >.<

[mrbaggins]

It's not that you can combine marble, but that the marble layer contains veins/clusters of Calcite, which is a flux stone.

You need to find any iron ore (Magnetite, limonite or.... hematite?)
You need a piece of charcoal or some coke. (hereafter called fuel)
Use that first bit of fuel to make more fuel (bituminous coal or lignite is needed)
Use the fuel to smelt the iron ore into iron.
Smelt the iron with the flux to make pig iron.
Smelt the pig iron with another iron bar (and some more flux?) to make steel.

Yes, it's complicated, yes it's expensive. It's also one of the best items in the game.

(I may be wrong on part of this, especially which steps need flux, as I'm only just playing with it myself for the first time now)

[twilightdusk]

Here are the raw materials:

2x any iron ore (magnetite, hematite, limonite)
2x any flux stone (chalk, limestone, marble, calcite, dolomite)
6x any fuel (charcoal from wood, coke from coal or lignite) OR 2x any fuel + magma to power smelters (still need the fuel for 2 of the steps even if using magma smelter)

process
use 2x fuel (or magma) and 2x iron ore to make 2x iron bars
use 1x iron bars, 2x fuel (or 1x fuel and magma) and 1x flux stone to make 1x pig iron bars
use 1x iron bars, 1x pig iron bars, 2x fuel (or 1x fuel and magma), and 1x flux stone to make 2x steel bars

sidenote: fuel no longer looks like a word after typing and correcting all of this.

[mrbaggins]

2x any flux stone (chalk, limestone, marble, calcite, one other I can't remember off the top of my head)

Dolomite?

And also, yay, I remembered the process!

[twilightdusk]

2x any flux stone (chalk, limestone, marble, calcite, one other I can't remember off the top of my head)

Dolomite?

yes, thank you.

[Ifeno]

It's not that you can combine marble, but that the marble layer contains veins/clusters of Calcite, which is a flux stone.

You need to find any iron ore (Magnetite, limonite or.... hematite?)
You need a piece of charcoal or some coke. (hereafter called fuel)
Use that first bit of fuel to make more fuel (bituminous coal or lignite is needed)
Use the fuel to smelt the iron ore into iron.
Smelt the iron with the flux to make pig iron.
Smelt the pig iron with another iron bar (and some more flux?) to make steel.

Yes, it's complicated, yes it's expensive. It's also one of the best items in the game.

(I may be wrong on part of this, especially which steps need flux, as I'm only just playing with it myself for the first time now)

how come i havent found any iron ore yet if im on the marble layer?

[Quietust]

Because marble layers are metamorphic, and you can only find iron ore in sedimentary and igneous extrusive layers (the former can contain all 3 types, while the latter can only get hematite).

[Justin In Oz]

Because marble layers are metamorphic, and you can only find iron ore in sedimentary and igneous extrusive layers (the former can contain all 3 types, while the latter can only get hematite).

This gave me such a warm smile. DF is the only game I have ever played where geology knowledge is applicable and in delightful way too!