The growing production of hot metal — in due relation to the demand — forms the basis of the world’s increasing demand for steel. In this context the blast furnace process will remain the number one ore reduction process. In Germany hot metal and crude steel are produced on a competitive basis at several integrated steel works using blast furnaces and basic oxygen converters which are world leading in terms of plant technology and operation. Within the framework of research programs, the development of an oxygen blast furnace process is underway, which — in combination with a CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) system — is expected to massively reduce CO₂ emissions from hot metal making. The majority of the DRI is produced in gas-based processes, especially at locations where low-cost natural gas is available. The intention of coal-based smelting reduction processes is to produce liquid hot metal without or only with very small amounts of coke.