A molten-bath based direct
smelting process and apparatus for producing metals from a
ferrous material is disclosed. The process includes injecting feed materials being
solid material and carrier gas into a
molten bath at a velocity of at least 40 m / s through at least one downwardly extending solids injection lance having a delivery tube of internal
diameter of 40–200 mm that is located so that a central axis of an outlet end of the lance is at an angle of 20 to 90 degrees to a
horizontal axis. The feed materials injection generates a superficial gas flow of at least 0.04 Nm3 / s / m2 within the
molten bath at least in part by reactions of
injected material in the bath. The gas now causes
molten material to be projected upwardly as splashes, droplets and streams and form an expanded
molten bath zone, with the gas flow and the upwardly projected
molten material causing substantial movement of material within the molten bath and strong mixing of the molten bath. The feed materials are selected so that, in an overall sense, the reactions of the feed materials in the molten bath are endothermic. The process also includes injecting an
oxygen-containing gas into an upper region of the vessel via at least one
oxygen gas injection lance and post-combusting combustible gases released from the molten bath.