A method for operating a smelting furnace installation, in particular a blast furnace installation, the method including the following steps: feeding coke, iron oxide containing material and if required fluxing agents to the top of the smelting furnace; injecting a first reducing gas containing hydrogen at a tuyere level of the smelting furnace at a temperature above 1600 C.; and injecting a second reducing gas at a lower shaft level of the smelting furnace.

The coke is fed at a lump coke rate below 220 kg/t HM, and the density of the first reducing gas is below 0.80 kg/Nm.sup.3.