What is "spiegeleisen"

Spiegel iron \Spie"gel i`ron\ [G. spiegel mirror + E. iron.] (Metal.) A fusible white cast iron containing a large amount of carbon (from three and a half to six per cent) and some manganese. When the manganese reaches twenty-five per cent and upwards it has a granular structure, and constitutes the alloy ferro manganese, largely used in the manufacture of Bessemer steel. Called also specular pig iron, spiegel, and spiegeleisen.

n. A ferromanganese alloy containing approximately 15% manganese and small quantities of carbon and silicon.

n. pig iron containing manganese; used as a deoxidizing agent and to raise the manganese content in making steel [syn: spiegel, spiegel iron]

Spiegeleisen (literally "mirror-iron", — mirror or specular; Eisen— iron) is a ferromanganese alloy containing approximately 15% manganese and small quantities of carbon and silicon. Spiegeleisen is sometimes also referred to as specular pig iron, Spiegel iron, just Spiegel, or Bisalloy.