constructed of a material having a closely matched electrical resistivity to that of the metal to be cast the block may be provided with a deeply hollowed out central section so that during startup the end of the down spout supplying molten metal may be positioned a substantial distance below the plane of the top surface of the bottom block application_number US 16419280 A description referring now to fig1 there is shown by way of example the electromagnetic casting apparatus of this invention the electromagnetic casting mold 10 is comprised of an inductor 11 which is water cooled a cooling manifold 12 for appying cooling water to the peripheral surface 13 of the metal being cast c and a non magnetic screen 14 molten metal is continuously introduced into the mold 10 during a casting run using a trough 15 and a down spout 16 with the initial surge of molten metal contacting bottom block 22 in its raised position fig1 and thereafter using conventional molten metal head control the inductor 11 is excited by an alternating current from a power source 17 and control system 18 such a control system is described in our copending application ser no 905 889 filed may 15 1978 and assigned to the assignee herein which application is hereby incorporated by reference the alternating current in the inductor 11 produces a magnetic field which interacts with the molten metal head 19 to produce eddy currents therein these eddy currents in turn interact with the magnetic field and produce forces which apply a magnetic pressure to the molten metal head 19 to contain it so that it solidifies in a desired ingot cross section an air gap d exists during.