Production of more concentrated iron product from industrial waste materials streams

A method for producing a more concentrated iron product from an iron-bearing waste materials stream generated from a steelmaking or ironmaking furnace, which waste materials stream comprises iron compounds and non-iron compounds, comprising the steps of:

• a. subjecting the waste materials stream to a first compacting process whereby the waste materials stream is compacted into a compacted waste materials stream;
• b. roasting the compacted waste materials stream to a temperature greater than about 980.degree. C. in a reducing atmosphere to convert at least a portion of the iron compounds in the waste materials stream into a direct reduced iron product comprising iron and non-iron compounds and fuming off at least a portion of the non-iron compounds;
• c. providing the direct reduced iron product to a crushing process whereby at least a portion of the direct reduced iron product is crushed into particles of one-half inch mesh size or smaller;
• d. subjecting the direct reduced iron product to a separation process whereby a first portion of the direct reduced iron product comprising a portion of the iron compounds is separated from the remainder of the direct reduced iron product comprising a portion of the iron and the non-iron compounds;
• and then
• e. recovering the first portion of the direct reduced iron product as the more concentrated iron product.