A number of technologies is developed that substitute simple metal cores in the high-pressure casting technology. Soluble cores, namely

on the salt basis, represent the highest prospect. The contribution gives the results of the production of salt cores by high-pressure

squeezing and shooting with using a binder. Special attention is paid to the shape of NaCl salt crystals with additives and the influence on

strength properties of cores. A technology of bonding the salt cores is developing. Salinity of circulating water is studied and it is checked

with the aid of electrical conductance.

For the reason of environmental problems connected with the use of furan binders, attention is increasingly being paid to self-setting mixtures using alkali resols. A resol binder stabilized with KOH, NaOH is hardened by liquid esters with the formation of alkaline salts. The increase of their concentration affects the shortening of the mixture bench life, it also decreases strength, increases abrasive wear to moulds and cores, and results in uneconomical dilution of the reclaim with expensive new base sand. The length of life (bench life) of mixtures plays an important role in the manufacture of huge and voluminous moulds and cores in self-setting mixtures. This study aims at analyzing the function of reactive alkaline salts in the reclaim, monitors the consequences of its thermal exposure on the properties of selfsetting mixtures, and deals with development of methods evaluating its qualities.