Patent ID: 8741027

Claim:
A process for supplying solids materials to a direct smelting vessel having one or more than one solid injection lance extending into the vessel and having a supply line for conveying solid materials into at least one solids injection lance, the process comprising: (a) supplying both heated solid metalliferous material and coal to the lance or each of the lances by supplying the coal to a supply line and mixing the coal and the heated solid metalliferous material at a location on the supply line to the lance or lances that is less than one (1) second of a conveying time (based on average gas transmit time) to an inlet end of the lance for conveying speeds in the supply line less than 50 meters per second; and (b) co-injecting the heated solid metalliferous material and the coal into the vessel via the lance or lances to which both the heated solid metalliferous material and the coal are supplied.