Direct reduction method using inductive heating

Claim 1

A DIRECT REDUCTION PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING METAL ORE CONCENTRATION IN FINELY DIVIDED FORM SAID METAL BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON, COPPER, MANGANESE AND CHROMIUM, INTERMIXING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ORE CONCENTRTES INTIMATELY WITH A FINELY DIVIDED THERMOSETTING REDUCTANT-BINDER AND SIX PERCENT MOISTURE, PRESSING THE INTERMIXTURE OF ORE CONCENTRATE MOISTURE, REDUCTANT-BINDER AND CARBON INTO HARD AND DENSE BRIQUETTES HAVING DIMENSIONS OF AT LEAST TWO OR MORE INCHES IN DIAMETER AND TWO OR MORE INCHES IN HEIGHT HEATING SAID BRIQUETTES TO A TEMPERATURE RANGE OF FROM 300*F TO 525*F THERBY DRIVING OFF MOISTURE AND VOLATILE MATERIAL FROM SAID BRIQUETTES AND CARAMELIZING THE REDUCTANT-BINDER TO FORM A TOUGH, HARD BRIQUETTE OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO BE HANDLED BY CONVENTIONAL MEANS INSERTING SAID BRIQUETTES AND CARAMELIZING THE REDUCHEATING SAID BRIQUETTES WITHIN SAID TUBE IN THE ABSENCE OF OXYGEN TO A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1,800*F THEREBY CAUSING THE CARAMELIZED CARBONACEOUS TO REDUCTANT-BINDING TO REACT WOTH THE OXIDE ORE CONCENTRATE TO REDUCE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE LATTER TO FREE METAL IN FINELY DIVIDED FORM AND TO AGGLOMETATE THE FINELY DIVIDED FREE METAL PARTICLES INTO A BRIQUETTE WHOSE SIZE HAS BEEN SUBSTANITALLY DIMINISHED TO UP TO FIFTY PERCENT OF ITS FORMER VOLUME, SAID BRIQUETTE HAVING LOW POROSITY, HIGH DENSITY AND HIGHLY IMPROVED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, AND INSERTING OR TRANSFERING SAID BRIQUETTES OF DIMINISHED SIZE DIRECTLY WHILE HOT INTO A SECOND TUBE AND HEATING THE SAME BY MEANS OF AN ELECTRIC INDUCTION COIL TO A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM EITHER 1,900*F TO 2,150*F OR 2,350*F TO 2,750*F.