Abstract: In a method for recovering zinc and lead from a dust containing ferric oxide, zinc oxide and lead oxide discharged from a metal refining metallurgical furnace, the dust is charged into the entry of a rotary kiln together with a granular carbonaceous reducing agent. The atmosphere of the interior of the kiln comprises a reducing atmosphere zone accounting for a major portion of the interior including the entry section of the kiln and an oxidizing atmosphere zone accounting for a minor portion of the interior including at least a part of the exit section of the kiln. The temperature of the interior of the kiln is increased by the combustion of a fuel from at least one burner installed at the exit section of the kiln directed toward the interior of the kiln. The dust is reduced in the reducing atmosphere zone to vaporized zinc and lead, and also to reduce the ferric oxide into ferrous oxide.