Simultaneously coking iron ore and cracking hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY UPGRADING HYDROCARBONS, PRODUCING COKE, AND COKING IRON ORE WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (1) COMMINUTING SAID IRON ORE TO A PARTICLE SIZE SUITABLE FOR FLUIDIZING WITH A GAS; (2) PASSING COMMINUTED ORE FROM STEP (1) TO AT LEAST ONE OF A FLUIDIZED-BED HYDROCARBON CRACKING ZONE AND A FLUIDIZED BED BURNING ZONE; (3) PASSING SEPARATE STREAMS OF HEAVY, COKE-FORMING HYDROCARBON OIL AND HOT IRON ORE INTO SAID CRACKING ZONE AND CONTAINING SAID OIL AND IRON ORE THEREIN UNDER CRACKING AND COKING CONDITIONS INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 900 TO 1000*F. SO AS TO CRACK SAID OIL AND LAY DOWN COKE ON SAID IRON ORE; (4) RECOVERING CRACKED HYDROCARBONS FROM STEP (3) AS A PRODUCT; (5) PASSING COKE-ORE FROM STEP (3) TO THE BURNING ZONE OF STEP (2) AND BURNING A PORTION OF THE COKE THEREFROM WITH O2-CONTAINING GAS TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE TURE OF SAID ORE TO THE RANGE OF 1000 TO 1200*F. AND SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE SAID CRACKING TEMPERATURE AND TO PARTIALLY REDUCE SAME; (6) PASSING A PORTION OF THE HOT ORE FROM STEP (5) TO STEP (3) TO MAINTAIN SAID CRACKING TEMPERATURE AND CATALYZE THE CRACKING REACTION; (7) CONTACTING ORE FROM STEP (1) WITH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE HOT OFF-GAS FROM STEP (5) TO SUBSTANTIALLY PREHEAT SAME PRIOR TO STEP (3 2 (8) PASSING A PORTION OF THE COKED AND PARTIALLY REDUCED ORE FROM STEP (5) TO AN ORE REDUCTION FURNACE TO PRODUCE PIG IRON.