At room temperature, the iron atoms are in an unusual loosely packed open arrangement; as iron is heated past 912 degrees Celsius, the atoms become more closely packed before loosening again at 1,394 degrees Celsius, and ultimately melting at 1,538 degrees Celsius.

Can we melt iron?

The furnace, also called a bloomery, is used to heat up the iron ore along with a chemical reducing agent (charcoal). A traditional bloomery doesn't generate enough heat to fully melt the ore. Instead, the ore melts to a spongy mass that will need to be further refined through hammering in step 6.

Which gas can melt iron?

Coke is carbon rich and used as a carbon source and fuel to heat and melt iron ore in iron making.