Method for the smelting of material such as ore concentrates

In a method for smelting an ore concentrate or the like in which said concentrate is first melted in an oxidizing atmosphere and the smelt is aftertreated with reducing gases to recover the metal values, the improvement which comprises:

• melting said concentrate in substantially pure oxygen at a temperature of from 1500.degree. to 2000.degree. C.,
• conducting the aftertreating by blowing reducing gases containing a mixture of a hydrocarbon fuel gas and oxygen, said oxygen being present in less than stoichiometric proportions, onto the smelt by means of a plurality of separate lances under conditions of high kinetic energy to create a blow impression under each lance, the reduction potential of the gases blown by each lance varying from one lance to the next, thereby producing a lighter slag phase and a heavier metal containing phase and
• separately withdrawing said slag phase and said metal-containing phase.