Abstract: A metal reduction and melting process which involves the heating of a burden comprising a metal containing component and a carbon containing component in a channel type induction furnace in order to reduce such metal containing component, in which at least part of the gaseous products of the process is utilized for preheating the burden; and apparatus for carrying out such preheating.

Abstract: The present invention provides a metal containing compound reduction and melting process which entails feeding a burden made of a mixture of the metal containing compound and a suitable reductant in particulate form into an electrically heatable vessel which contains a bath of the metal in liquid form so that a reaction zone is formed in the burden in which the metal containing compound is reduced and a melting zone is formed below the reaction zone in which the reduced metal is melted; and controlling the process in such a manner that substantially all of the reduction of the metal containing compound takes place in the solid phase.

Abstract: A method of making steel, by heating in a channel type induction furnace an iron containing burden and carbon, the carbon being included in the burden and/or contained in hot metal; and maintaining the temperature of the liquid product so formed above its liquidus temperature by controlling the amount of heat supplied to the furnace and/or the rate at which the burden is added to the furnace.