Copper ligature, Dnipropetrovsk region.

Ligature (in metallurgy) — an alloy of two and more components intended for the introduction of refractory elements into liquid metal. Alloying with the help of ligatures gives more stable results if it is necessary to introduce small concentrations of alloying impurities due to the ease of dosing or when elements that are easily oxidized or volatile at high temperatures are introduced into the alloy.

In ferrous metallurgy, ligatures are distinguished from ferroalloys, which are used simultaneously for alloying and deoxidation.