The invention provides a device and a method for treating refractory iron ore, which have high iron resource recovery rate and are capable of directly reducing the refractory iron ore. The device for treating the refractory iron ore provided by the invention comprises a regenerative rotary hearth furnace, wherein the regenerative rotary hearth furnace comprises a furnace chamber enclosed by an annular inner wall, an annular outer wall and a furnace bottom; the furnace bottom can rotate; the furnace chamber is divided into a feeding area, a pre-heating area, a heating area, a high-temperature area, a control area and a discharge area; and a feeding hole is arranged on the annular outer wall of the feeding area, and a discharge hole is arranged on the annular outer wall of the discharge area. According to the device and the method for treating the refractory iron ore provided by the invention, the rotary hearth furnace adopts a regenerative combustion technology, and therefore, the time of pellets in the pre-heating area of the rotary hearth furnace is shortened, the time of the pellets in a reducing area is indirectly increased and metallization ratio of directly reduced iron is improved.