Direct reduced iron

<p>Direct reduced iron (DRI), also called sponge iron, is produced from the direct <a href="/facts/Reduction_(chemistry)/Pyd5RVcj">reduction</a> of <a href="/facts/Iron_ore/rQMEvgMh">iron ore</a> (in the form of lumps, pellets, or fines) into iron by a <a href="/facts/Reducing_atmosphere/enTqwvme">reducing gas</a> which contains elemental <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a> (produced from <a href="/facts/Natural_gas/9MYQ7NAP">natural gas</a> or <a href="/facts/Coal/83kV3qxg">coal</a>) and/or <a href="/facts/Hydrogen/BoYHjl0J">hydrogen</a>.  When hydrogen is used as the reducing gas no carbon dioxide is produced. Many ores are suitable for direct reduction.
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Direct reduction refers to solid-state processes which reduce iron oxides to metallic iron at temperatures below the melting point of iron. Reduced iron derives its name from these processes, one example being  heating iron ore in a furnace at a high temperature of 800 to 1,200 °C (1,470 to 2,190 °F) in the presence of the reducing gas <a href="/facts/Syngas/VfslxkIN">syngas</a>, a mixture of hydrogen and <a href="/facts/Carbon_monoxide/CKuLtEMJ">carbon monoxide</a>, or pure hydrogen.</p>

Direct reduced iron open-in-new

Direct reduced iron