Patent ID: 7674316

Claim:
A method for producing metallic iron, the method comprising: in a reduction melting furnace, laying a hearth material in the form of a layer to form a renewable movable hearth capable of being renewed, without supplying iron oxides onto the hearth; after forming the renewable hearth, supplying a mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and iron oxides onto the hearth, heating the mixture for reduction melting of the iron oxides, cooling thus-obtained metallic iron, and discharging the metallic iron to the outside of said furnace for recovery, removing at least part of said renewable hearth after discharging the metallic iron to the outside of said furnace for recovery, and renewing a part or the whole of said renewable hearth, which has deteriorated during operation, with the hearth material, by supplying the hearth material after removing at least part of said renewable hearth.