In a process for producing molten pig iron or steel preproducts from fine-particulate iron containing material in a meltdown gasifying zone of a melter gasifier, under the supply of carbon-containing material and oxygen-containing gas at the simultaneous formation of a reducing gas in a bed formed of solid carbon carriers, the iron-containing material is melted when passing the bed. In order to be able to work with a charge consisting of fine ore by up to 100%, yet reliably avoid discharging of the fine ore supplied, a supply duct for fine-particulate coal, such as coal dust and/or other carbon-containing materials including volatile portions, and a duct feeding an oxygen-containing gas enter in the vicinity of the reducing-gas discharge duct of the melter gasifier, the fine-particulate coal and/or other carbon-containing materials including volatile portions are reacted to fine-particulate coke upon introduction into the melter gasifier, the fine-particulate coke is discharged along with the reducing gas carried off the melter gasifier and is separated in a separating means.