Cast iron
Cast iron is made from pig iron, which is the product of smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. Cast iron can be made directly from the molten pig iron or by re-melting pig iron, often along with substantial quantities of iron, steel, limestone, carbon (coke) and taking various steps to remove undesirable contaminants. Phosphorus and sulfur may be burnt out of the molten iron, but this also burns out the carbon, which must be replaced. Depending on the application, carbon and silicon content are adjusted to the desired levels, which may be anywhere from 2–3.5% and 1–3%, respectively. If desired, other elements are then added to the melt before the final form is produced by casting.
Anchor plate
Anchor plates are made of cast iron, sometimes wrought iron or steel, and are often used on brick or other masonry-based buildings. They are commonly found in many older cities towns and villages in Europe and in more recent cities with substantial legacies of 18th- and 19th-century brick construction, such as New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Charleston, South Carolina, and in older earthquake prone cities such as San Francisco, as well as across all of Europe. The tie-rod-and-plate assembly braces the masonry wall against lateral bowing.