A process for producing and reducing an iron ore briquette, the process comprising the steps of: a. combining together a comminuted iron bearing material, a comminuted carbonaceous material, a fluxing material and a primary binder material to form a briquette mixture; b. adding a metallic particulate material to the briquette mixture; c. adding hot water and a secondary binder material to the briquette mixture; d. kneading the briquette mixture together; e. compacting the briquette mixture under pressure to form a green briquette, f. subjecting the green briquette to a primary curing to form a stable iron ore briquette or pre-heating the green briquette by conventional or induction heating means up to a temperature of 800°C; and g. feeding the green briquette or pre-heated green briquette to a furnace to produce pig iron, wherein when the iron ore briquette is subjected to electromagnetic radiation, the metallic particulate material dispersed within the iron ore briquette promotes formation of increased reactivity or seed sites and thereby increase the reduction of the iron ore briquette to form pig iron.