Method for smelting oxide ore

An oxide ore smelting method, comprising obtaining a metal of a reduction product and slag by mixing an oxide ore and a carbonaceous reducing agent, heating the mixture obtained, and subjecting the mixture to a reduction treatment, wherein

• the oxide ore is nickel oxide ore,
• an amount of the carbonaceous reducing agent present inside the mixture together with the nickel oxide ore is set to a proportion of 40.0% by mass or less when an amount of the carbonaceous reducing agent required for reducing nickel oxide and iron oxide contained in the mixture without excess or deficiency is taken as 100% by mass,
• the reduction treatment is performed in a state in which at least the carbonaceous reducing agent is deposited as a surface deposit on a surface of the mixture so that an amount of the carbonaceous reducing agent deposited on the surface of the mixture is set to a proportion of 0.1% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less when an amount of the carbonaceous reducing agent required for reducing nickel oxide and iron oxide contained in the mixture without excess or deficiency is taken as 100% by mass.