Abstract: A process for the smelting reduction of oxide ores, in particular iron ores, employs a mixture of the finely divided ore with equally finely divided reductant, which in the case of iron ores preferably is a coal. The mixture is fed into the interior of a heated tubular reaction vessel and moved positively through a heated reaction zone by a screw conveyor embedded in the charge. The conveyor breaks away any accretions that stick to the wall before they can build to a size that will stall the conveyor. The particles are in the range 75-1400 micrometers with a preferred size of at least 95% less than 600 micrometers, and the preferred ratio of ore to reductant is in the range of ratios 18:82 to 30:70. The reduced iron can be fed directly into a melting furnace for separation of metal and non-metal, it can be powdered and separated magnetically or it can be briquetted.