Process and apparatus for producing a reduction gas for reduction of metal ore

In a method for producing a hot CO- and H2-containing reducing gas serving for the reduction of fine-grained metal ore, in particular iron ore, the reducing gas is formed in a gasification zone by a gasification of carbon carriers, in particular coal, taking place under the supply of oxygen and subsequently is cooled down to a reducing-gas temperature favorable to the reduction process. In order to produce a thermodynamically more stable reducing gas, the reducing gas by the addition of H2O and/or CO2-in order to prevent the Boudouard and heterogeneous water-gas reaction and a resultant heating of the reducing gas-is converted to a reducing gas that is thermodynamically more stable at the reducing-gas temperature.