A process and apparatus for direct smelting metalliferous material is disclosed. The invention concentrates injection of solid feed materials comprising metalliferous material and carbonaceous material into a direct smelting vessel during the course of the process into a relatively small region within a metal layer in a molten bath in the vessel in order to generate a substantial upward movement of molten material and gas from the metal layer into a region in the vessel that is above the molten bath. In particular, the invention injects the solid food materials with sufficient momentum and/or velocity via an opposed pair of lances that are oriented within the vessel and arranged to form overlapping plumes of injected material in the molten bath.