Recent Trends in the Technologies of the Direct Reduction and Smelting Process of Iron Ore/Iron Oxide in the Extraction of Iron and Steelmaking

The blast furnace and direct reduction processes have been the major iron production routes for various iron ores (i.e. goethite, hematite, magnetite, maghemite, siderite, etc.) in the past few decades, but the challenges of maintaining the iron and steel-making processes are enormous. The challenges, such as cumbersome production routes, scarcity of metallurgical coke, high energy demands, and high cost of production, cannot be overemphasized. This study provides a systematic overview of the different ironmaking routes, their operational limitations and proper sound future perspectives to mitigate the challenges involve based on iron production demands in the modern-day metallurgical process. Subsequently, strategic ways toward improving the production efficiency and product quality of metallic iron produced in the recent iron processing routes were suggested. The study reiterated that the non-contact direct reduction and reduction-smelting routes are the faster ironmaking and steelmaking processes that can utilize alternative energy sources efficiently with little or no carbon deposition. Both processes also have promising features based on their requirements in terms of fewer energy demands, time-saving, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency. Thus, in today's iron and steelmaking processes, non-contact direct reduction and reduction-smelting processes remain viable alternative iron production routes.