The present invention discloses an apparatus for direct chill casting of metal comprises an open ended mold cavity formed by a casting surface with an upper end and a lower end, a refractory sleeve located at the upper end of the mold cavity being adapted to receive molten metal, a coolant delivery system below the lower end of the mold for supplying coolant to chill the descending hot metal body, and a boron nitride ring mounted between the refractory sleeve and the peripheral wall of the mold cavity. In another embodiment, the apparatus for direct chill casting of metal further includes a downspout instead of a refractory sleeve that is located at the upper end of the mold cavity being adapted to receive molten metal having a flow control rod or a floating baffle where the flow control rod controls the amount of molten metal to enter the mold cavity. In a further embodiment, a process for the direct chill casting of a metal comprising the steps of continuously filling the upper end of the cavity with molten metal and permitting the molten metal to move downwardly through the mold to form an ingot, and simultaneously chilling the ingot by spraying coolant on the ingot from the coolant delivery system is provided.