Abstract: A process and apparatus for smelting reduction of ores or pre-reduced metal carriers in the form of an emulsion composed of slag, liquid metal and floating coke particles which pass from a smelting reduction reactor to a separate settling tank through a connection conduit. At least one lance is provided for blowing a "hard" stream of oxygen into the settling tank while a second lance is provided for blowing a relatively "soft" stream of oxygen into the settling tank. The relatively softly blown stream of oxygen sufficiently increases the volume of gas in the settling tank beyond that resulting from the hard oxygen stream alone so as to drive back coke particles floating on the emulsion from the settling tank to the smelting reduction reactor through the connection conduit.