Abstract: A smelting process of superior energy efficiency, particularly suitable for the extraction of zinc, but also of lead and copper from raw materials comprising sulphide concentrates, and oxidized metalliferous materials, is carried out by establishing at least one oxidation zone and at least one reduction zone in a furnace, each zone comprising a slag bath and a gas space; the gas spaces of the oxidation and reduction zones being separated by a partition; feeding raw materials comprising metal sulphides, together with fluxes, to the or each oxidation zone, and feeding oxygen or oxygen-rich gas into the slag bath in the or each oxidation zone to oxidize metal compounds therein and produce an off-gas containing SO.sub.