PURPOSE: To operate an iron manufacturing process efficiently and continuously by obliquely setting a plurality of electrodes from the upper part of a suspending layer in a furnace and by purging the electrode parts over the layer with inert gas.

CONSTITUTION: A required no. of consumable electrodes 8 are obliquely inserted into suspending layer F in furnace 1 from the furnace top so that electric resistances between every two of electrodes 8 are made uniform. Parts 8a of electrodes 8 over layer F are put into protective tubes 9 and purged with inert gas H such as N2 fed to prevent consumption of upper parts 8a. In accordance with consumption of electrodes 8 in layer F, electrodes 8 are added in order. Thus, electrode parts to be electrified can be reduced to the irreducible min. of necessity, and reduction reaction is accelerated uniformly and actively.