Method and system for producing metallic iron nuggets

A system for use in production of metallic iron nuggets comprising:

• a hearth comprising refractory material for receiving a hearth material layer thereon, the hearth material layer comprising at least carbonaceous material;
• a charging apparatus providing a layer of a reducible mixture on at least a portion of the hearth material layer, at least a portion of the reducible mixture comprising at least reducing material and reducible iron bearing material;
• a channel definition device creating a plurality of channel openings in the reducible mixture that extend at least partially into the layer of the reducible mixture to define a plurality of nugget forming reducible material regions;
• a channel fill apparatus at least partially filling the plurality of channel openings with nugget separation fill material comprising at least carbonaceous material;
• and
• a furnace thermally treating the layer of reducible mixture to form one or more metallic iron nuggets in one or more of the plurality of the nugget forming reducible material regions.