Supplying solid feed materials for a direct smelting process

A process for supplying solid feed materials to a bath of molten iron and slag of a direct iron smelting process located in a direct smelting vessel, the solids feed materials supplied through solids injection lances to said direct smelting vessel, the process of supplying solid feed materials to said bath comprising the steps of:

• (a) supplying solid feed materials entrained in an oxygen deficient carrier gas to pairs of solids injection lances via a plurality of supply lines, with one supply line being connected to each pair of solids injection lances and the lances of each pair being located on diametrically opposed locations on the vessel, wherein each lance of said pair of lances extends downwardly and inwardly through a side wall of the vessel and has outlet ends at a level that is within the slag layer and above the iron layer, and wherein each of said supply lines has a main feeder line section and two branch line sections extending from the main feeder line section, with each branch line section being connected to one lance of said pair of lances;
• (b) dispensing one or more of iron-containing materials or carbonaceous material under pressure into each of the main feeder line sections from a dispensing assembly including a pressurized vessel;
• and
• (c) injecting said solids feed materials entrained in said oxygen deficient carrier gas through said solids injection lances into said iron layer of said bath of molten iron and slag of said direct iron smelting process.