Direct smelting vessel and direct smelting process

A vessel which produces metal from a metalliferous feed material by a direct smelting process, which vessel contains a molten bath having a metal layer and a slag layer on the metal layer and has a gas continuous space above the slag layer, which vessel includes:

• (a) a hearth formed of refractory material having a base and sides in contact with the molten metal;
• (b) side walls which extend upwardly from the sides of the hearth and are in contact with the slag layer and the gas continuous space, wherein the side walls that contact the gas continuous space include water cooled panels and a layer of slag on the panels and the heat loss via the water cooled panels is less than 150 kW/m2 of panel area exposed to the inside of the vessel under normal operating conditions;
• (c) a roof that is in contact with the gas continuous space, wherein the roof includes water-cooled panels and a layer of slag on the panels, and the heat loss via the water-cooled panels of said roof is less than 150 kW/m2 of panel area exposed to the inside of the vessel under normal operating conditions;
• (d) one or more than one lance/tuyere extending downwardly into the vessel and injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the vessel above the metal layer;
• (e) a plurality of lances/tuyeres injecting at least part of the metalliferous feed material and a carbonaceous material with a carrier gas into the molten bath so as to penetrate the molten bath;
• and
• (f) a means for tapping molten metal and slag from the vessel.