Method of producing iron

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING IRON, THE STEPS OF FORMING GREEN PELIERS OF A MOISTENED MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF IRON OXIDE ORE FINES AND FINES OF A CORBONACEOUS TEDUCING AGENT INCLUDING VOLATILES, THE AMOUNT OF REDUCING AGENT HAVING A CARBON CONTENT IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRESD TO REDUCE THE IRON OXIDE OF THE ORE, IGNITING A BED OF THE PELLETS AND SUBJECTING THE SAME TO A BLAST CONTAINING 16 TO 26 PERCENT OF OXYGEN, REGULATING SAID BLAST TO HEAT AND TO MAINTAIN THE PELLETS AT A TEMPERATUR BETWEN 1600 AND 2300 DEGREE F. AND CONTINUING SAID REGULATED BLAST UNTIL THE IRON OF THE OXIDE IS PARTIALLY REDUCED TO PRODUCE A METALLIC IRON CONTENT IN THE PELLETS OF FROM ABOUT 15 PERCENT TO 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF TOTAL IRON AND TERMININATING THE BLAST WHILE MORE THAN ABOUT 6.5 PERCENT BY WEIGHT CARBON IS STILL PRESENT IN THE PELLETSS, SDAID CARBON BEING IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED FOR CONVERTING THE IRON OF OXIDES PERCENT TO ELEMENTAL FROM,THEREBY DESTRUCTIVELY DISTILLING THE REDUCING AGENT AND CONVERTING IT TO A GRAPHITIC MATRIX IN THE FORM OF A CHAR-BOND FOR THE OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF THE PELLETS.