Genetic adaptive search (GAS) techniques, based on the mechanics of natural genetics, are used in this paper to find an optimal model of desulphurization process of iron-melt by powder infection. Industrial data on 400 t torpedo are used to evaluate contributions of transitory and permanent contact reactions to the overall desulphurization process during calcium carbide powder injection. The results obtained with GAS agree more closely with the plant data than the theoretical model. GAS solutions are also found to be better than regression models. These results suggest immediate application of GAS in similar metallurgical problems.