METHOD OF OBTAINING SPONGE OR PIG IRON

PCT No. PCT/AU92/00489 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 19, 1994 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 19, 1992 PCT Filed Sep. 17, 1992 PCT Pub. No. WO93/06251 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 1, 1993.A process for smelting iron-containing source material in a reactor containing a slag bath, includes generating heating and reducing conditions in at least one reducing region of the bath by injection of fuel/reductant and oxygen-containing gas by at least one top submerged lance. The source material is fed to the reactor together with additional reductant and with flux at or adjacent the at least one reducing region so as to be subjected to smelting reduction, using coal as the additional reductant. The rates of injection of oxygen and fuel/reductant are controlled to achieve required and sufficient reducing conditions by providing the injected gas with an oxygen content from about 40% to about 100% sufficient for a degree of combustion of the fuel/reductant of from about 40% to about 50%. The CO and H2 generated by the smelting operation, as well as carbon dust carried out of the bath by combustion gases, are subjected to post-combustion in the reactor, enabling efficient heating of the bath while preventing re-oxidization of the bath contents.