A process for the production of pig iron from iron ore is disclosed. The pig iron is firstly converted to sponge iron in a direct reduction shaft furnace (1) and then the sponge iron is converted to pig iron in a melt-down gasifier (2). The shaft furnace and melt-down gasifier are interconnected by means of downcomers (6). Apart from the sponge iron, the melt-down gasifier is supplied with a carbon carrier in the form of coke and oxygen-containing gas. The gas produced in the melt-down gasifier is supplied to the shaft furnace (1) in the form of reduction gas via downcomers (6), pipe (8), cyclone separator (12) and pipe (4). By means of pipes (10 and 11), cooled, cleaned blast furnace gas from shaft furnace (1) is admixed as cooling gas with the gas produced in the melt-down gasifier. With the aid of a screen (15), the melt-down gasifier is supplied with the fine fraction via pipe (7) and the shaft furnace is supplied via pipe (16) with the coarse fraction of the coke required for the operation of the plant. The coke introduced into the shaft furnace passes through the same and then enters the melt-down gasifier in preheated, dried form. The coke in the shaft furnace also leads to a reduction of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O to CO and H.sub.2 and also reduces the sticking tendency of the sponge iron.