Method of producing non-pyrophoric metallic iron

A method of producing a substantially non-pyrophoric metallic iron-containing product from virgin and waste iron oxide sources, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) agglomerating slag components:
• (i) iron oxide,
• (ii) zinc oxide,
• (iii) calcium and/or magnesium oxide, and,
• (iv) a finely divided low volatile carbon source,
• adjusting the slag components of (i)-(iv), to form a slag with a melting point exceeding a kiln treatment temperature by at least 100° C. to avoid a kiln ring formation, and, forming a bonded agglomerate thereof by curing and drying the agglomerates to form a calcium and/or magnesium-zincate bond;
• (b) heating the bonded agglomerate of step (a) to temperatures above 900° C. for a time and rate sufficient to reduce and evaporate the zinc oxide;
• (c) further increasing the temperature to reduce the iron oxide to metallic iron, wherein about 50 to 100 percent of the iron in the bonded agglomerate is metallized such that a metallic iron containing consolidated product is formed;
• and
• (d) controlling the heating time, heating rate, and temperatures of step (b) such that the consolidated product of step (c) is formed with low specific surface to render the product substantially non-pyrophoric.