Granular metal iron production method

The present invention provides a granular metal iron production method which can produce high quality granular metal iron with good yield by optimizing the physical states of an adhesion inhibiting material leveling apparatus, an agglomerated material leveling apparatus, a discharge apparatus and a hearth to thereby achieve single-layer placing of the agglomerated material and uniform heating. The present invention is a granular metal iron production method which includes: leveling, into a flat shape, an adhesion inhibiting material supplied onto the hearth of a moving bed-type hearth reduction-melting furnace; supplying an agglomerated material containing a carbonaceous reduction agent and a substance containing iron oxide onto the adhesion inhibiting material that has been leveled into a flat shape; leveling, into a flat shape, the agglomerated material supplied onto the adhesion inhibiting material; acquiring granular metal iron by applying heat and reduction-melting the iron oxide in the agglomerated material; and discharging the acquired granular metal iron by using a screw-type discharge apparatus, said granular metal iron production method being characterized in that the adhesion inhibiting material supplied onto the hearth is leveled by using a screw-type adhesion inhibiting material leveling apparatus, the degree of flatness of the leveled adhesion inhibiting material is equal to or less than 40% of the average grain size of the agglomerated material, and also the agglomerated material supplied onto the adhesion inhibiting material is uniformly placed in a single layer by using a screw-type agglomerated material leveling apparatus.