A method and apparatus for feeding iron-bearing particles into a metallurgical furnace such as an electric arc furnace, comprising a molten iron holding vessel (10), having a wall (12) extending above said molten iron, a preferably screw type feeder (40) mounted on the exterior of said vessel (10), a feeding port (50) in said wall shaped to permit passage of said feeder into the interior of said vessel (10) and located at such a height from said molten iron so that no molten materials will spill out from said furnace through said port during the normal operation and maneuvering of said furnace; and actuating means (44) for extending said screw type feeder (40) from a retracted position out of the vessel to an extended position into said vessel. Said iron-bearing particles are charged at a point proximate to said molten iron, and at the same time are positively pushed into the slag layer (20) in the direction of the molten iron and also of the hottest zone of the furnace whereby the overall productivity of the furnace is increased.