Production of direct reduced iron and/or pig iron from industrial waste streams

A method for producing a usable iron product from a waste materials stream which comprises iron compounds and non-iron compounds, comprising the steps of:

• briquetting the waste materials stream with carbon at a temperature ranging from approximately 50.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. to produce briquettes comprising iron compounds;
• providing the resulting briquettes to a furnace which converts the iron compounds in the briquettes into a usable iron product and which produces an exhaust fume which comprises iron and non-iron compounds;
• providing the exhaust fumes to a leaching process wherein the exhaust fumes are leached with a leachant such that a portion of the non-iron into solution and the iron compounds do not go into solution;
• and
• separating the iron compounds from the solution and providing the iron compounds to the briquetting step.