Ore reduction process

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE REDUCTION OF A REDUCIBLE SOLID METAL OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON, COPPER VANADIUM AND BARIUM OXIDES WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID METAL OXIDE IN PARTICULATE FORM WITH A REDUCIING GAS COMPRISING CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN IN A FIRST REDUCTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT FOR EFFECTING PARTIAL REDUCTION OF SAID METAL OXIDE, PASSING SAID PARTIALLY REDUCED METAL OXIDE OUT OF SAID FIRST REDUCTION ZONE INTO ADMIXTURE WITH A CARBONACEOUS FUEL, PASSING THE RESULTING ADMIXTURE OF PARTIALLY REDUCED METAL OXIDE AND CARBONACEOUS FUEL AS A STREAM INTO A SECOND REDUCTION ZONE WHILE BRINGING AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS INTO CONTACT THEREWITH, EFFECTING REACTION OF SAID PARTIALLY REDUCED METAL OXIDE, CARBONACEOUS FUEL AND OXYGEN IN SAID SECOND REDUCTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 2000* F. AND ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID METAL TO PRODUCE SAID METAL IN A MOLTEN CONDITION AND UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH AS TO GENERATE SUFFICIENT HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE BOTH TO REDUCE SAID PARTIALLY REDUCED METAL OXIDE IN SAID SECOND REDUCTION ZONE AND TO HEAT SAID FIRST REDUCTION ZONE AND PARTIALLY REDUCE THE ORE THEREIN, REMOVING FROM SAID SECOND REDUCTION ZONE THE MOLTEN METAL REDUCTION PRODUCT OF SAID METAL OXIDE, AND A HOT GASEOUS EFFLUENT COMPRISING HOT CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 2000 TO 3000*F., AND PASSIING SAID HOT GASEOUS EFFLUENT FROM SAID SECOND REDUCTION ZONE TO SAID FIRST REDUCTION ZONE TO COMPRISE THE REDUCING GAS THEREIN AND TO HEAT SAID METAL OXIDE THEREIN.