Abstract: A method and apparatus for production of iron from iron compounds is provided. There is a first stage of pre-reducing the iron compounds in a first chamber having a rotationally symmetrical wall, and a second stage of further reducing the iron compounds in a second chamber below the first chamber, fuel and oxygen being supplied to the second chamber. A reducing gas passes upwardly into the first chamber to effect the pre-reduction therein. Oxygen is fed to the first chamber. The iron compounds in the first chamber at least partly melt and then flow downwardly along the wall towards said second chamber. The iron compounds are introduced into the first chamber in particle form and by means of a carrier gas which provides one or more jets. The oxygen is fed into the first chamber at least partly in the form of one or more jets having tangential components.

Abstract: A method making pig iron employs an in-bath direct reduction performed in a metallurgical vessel which has above it a melting cyclone in which iron-oxide-containing material fed thereinto is pre-reduced by hot reducing gas coming from the vessel. Molten material passes downwardly from the melting cyclone into the vessel. In order to recover zinc from a dust containing zinc and/or zinc oxide, the dust is fed into the melting cyclone. Zinc is allowed to vaporize out of the dust into the hot gas in the melting cyclone. The hot gas containing zinc is discharged from the melting cyclone, and zinc-containing material is extracted from this hot gas.