A composition for protection from scale and as a lubricant for the hot processing of metals is disclosed. The composition includes a mixture of fine-powder materials containing at least the following constituents: (a) 0 to 15% by weight of secondary or tertiary calcium phosphate compound, hydroxyapatite or a mixture thereof, (b) 0.1 to 35% by weight of fatty acid, fatty acid salt or a mixture thereof, (c) 1 to 90% by weight of ground borosilicate glass which in relation to the borosilicate glass contains Na, B, Si and Al in the following proportions by weight expressed by their respective oxides: 1 to 30% by weight of Na2O, 2 to 70% by weight of B2O3, 10 to 70% by weight of SiO2, and 0 to 10% by weight of Al2O3, (d) 9 to 85% by weight of condensed alkali metal phosphates, (e) boric acid, boric acid salt or a mixture thereof in an amount corresponding to a boron content, expressed by the oxide, of 0 to 3.2% by weight of B2O3, and (f) 0 to 10% by weight of graphite. The mixture has a mean particle size D50 of