Method for operating a hearth furnace

A method for operating a hearth furnace for melting a metal-containing material, wherein the hearth furnace encompasses a furnace chamber heated by means of at least one burner, and a loading chamber with a pumping device disposed upstream of and in communication with the furnace chamber, the at least one burner positioned to provide heat to the loading chamber, the method comprising:

• a) introducing the metal-containing material into the hearth furnace,
• b) melting the metal-containing material in a first melting phase until a melting bath surface has formed,
• c) melting the metal-containing material in a second melting phase after the melting bath surface has formed,
• d) removing and/or holding the melted metal,
• e) operating the at least one burner during the first melting phase (b) such that a larger portion of burner capacity is emitted as convection energy rather than as radiant energy, and adjusting respective portions of convection heat and of radiant heat emitted by the at least one burner via adjustment of at least one of brightness, size and length of a flame from the at least one burner.