An impact pad 30 comprising refractory material, the impact pad comprising: (a) a base 31 having a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular and trapezoid, having a larger horizontal dimension, and having an impact surface 32 facing upwardly; (b) a wall 34 extending upwardly from the base 31 around the entire periphery of the base, wherein the wall 34 comprises a plurality of adjacent wall portions 36, 38 meeting at a nonzero angle; wherein wall 34 comprises two larger opposing longitudinal wall portions 52 and two smaller opposing latitudinal wall portions 54; wherein the impact surface 32 comprises a longitudinal center line 40 equidistant from the two larger opposing wall portions 52; wherein the longitudinal center line 40 declines from a first opposing latitudinal wall portion 54 to a second opposing latitudinal wall portion 54; wherein the impact surface 32 contains a facet 42 extending from a wall portion 36, 38 towards the longitudinal center line 40; wherein the surface facet 42 is in contact with at least two wall portions 36, 38, and is inclining or declining with respect to at least two of the wall portions 36, 38 with which it is in contact; wherein surface facet 42 comprises an end proximal to a first wall portion 36 and an end distal to the first wall portion 36, and the end distal to the first wall portion 36 terminates in the longitudinal center line 40 or in a line parallel to the longitudinal center line 40; wherein angles of declination or inclination, with respect to the horizontal plane, of surface facets 42 as measured from wall 34 towards the longitudinal center line 40 of the impact pad 30 have a value from and including 1 degree to and including 15 degrees; wherein the angle of declination or inclination, with respect to the horizontal plane, of the longitudinal center line 40 has a value from and including 1 degree to and including 15 degrees; wherein the base 31 is symmetrically configured with respect to the longitudinal center line 40; wherein two impact surface facets 42 extend towards each other and downwardly from opposed wall portions; wherein the two impact surface facets 42 meet at the longitudinal center line 40; and; wherein the wall of impact pad 30 is provided with an overhang. (a) a base 31 having a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular and trapezoid, having a larger horizontal dimension, and having an impact surface 32 facing upwardly; (b) a wall 34 extending upwardly from the base 31 around the entire periphery of the base, wherein the wall 34 comprises a plurality of adjacent wall portions 36, 38 meeting at a nonzero angle; wherein wall 34 comprises two larger opposing longitudinal wall portions 52 and two smaller opposing latitudinal wall portions 54; wherein the impact surface 32 comprises a longitudinal center line 40 equidistant from the two larger opposing wall portions 52; wherein the longitudinal center line 40 declines from a first opposing latitudinal wall portion 54 to a second opposing latitudinal wall portion 54; wherein the impact surface 32 contains a facet 42 extending from a wall portion 36, 38 towards the longitudinal center line 40; wherein the surface facet 42 is in contact with at least two wall portions 36, 38, and is inclining or declining with respect to at least two of the wall portions 36, 38 with which it is in contact; wherein surface facet 42 comprises an end proximal to a first wall portion 36 and an end distal to the first wall portion 36, and the end distal to the first wall portion 36 terminates in the longitudinal center line 40 or in a line parallel to the longitudinal center line 40; wherein angles of declination or inclination, with respect to the horizontal plane, of surface facets 42 as measured from wall 34 towards the longitudinal center line 40 of the impact pad 30 have a value from and including 1 degree to and including 15 degrees; wherein the angle of declination or inclination, with respect to the horizontal plane, of the longitudinal center line 40 has a value from and including 1 degree to and including 15 degrees; wherein the base 31 is symmetrically configured with respect to the longitudinal center line 40; wherein two impact surface facets 42 extend towards each other and downwardly from opposed wall portions; wherein the two impact surface facets 42 meet at the longitudinal center line 40; and; wherein the wall of impact pad 30 is provided with an overhang.