Patent attributes
A method is provided for producing an agglomerated material that is used for producing metallic iron by heat reduction in a moving hearth-type reducing furnace, wherein the agglomerated material can have a high mechanical strength without increases in the binder content and the moisture content of the material mixture. The method for producing an agglomerated material used for producing metallic iron, wherein the agglomerated material is produced by agglomerating a material mixture containing an iron-oxide-containing material, a carbonaceous reducing agent, a binder, and moisture; drying the material mixture; and charging and heating the material mixture in a moving hearth-type reducing furnace to reduce the iron oxide contained in the material mixture with the carbonaceous reducing agent, wherein a carbohydrate is used as the binder and the material mixture is left to stand prior to the agglomeration.