System and method for producing metallic iron

A hearth furnace for producing metallic iron material comprising:

• a furnace housing having a drying/preheat zone capable of providing a drying/preheat atmosphere for reducible material, a conversion zone capable of providing a reducing atmosphere for reducible material, a fusion zone capable of providing an atmosphere to at least partially reduce metallic iron material, and optionally a cooling zone capable of providing a cooling atmosphere for reduced material containing metallic iron material, the conversion zone being positioned between the drying/preheat zone and the fusion zone,
• a hearth capable of being movable within the furnace housing in a direction through the drying/preheat zone, then the conversion zone, then the fusion zone, and then, if present, the cooling zone,
• a separation barrier within at least a portion of the conversion zone, the fusion zone or both, the separation barrier separating the furnace housing where the separation barrier is located into a combustion region and a reducing region with the reducing region adjacent the hearth and the combustion region adjacent the reducing region and spaced from the hearth, and
• at least one injector capable of introducing a gaseous reductant into the reducing region.