In a method for producing liquid pig iron (16) and a sponge metal from charging substances comprising iron ore (4) respectively metal ore, the charging substances are directly reduced to sponge iron in at least one first reduction zone (2) the sponge iron is melted in a melt-down gasifying zone (15) under the supply of carbon carriers (10) and oxygen-containing gas and a CO-- and H.sub.2 -containing reducing gas is produced which is fed to the first reduction zone (2), is reacted there and withdrawn as a top gas, wherein the withdrawn top gas after a scrubbing operation is subjected to CO.sub.2 elimination and optionally to heating and is supplied to at least one further reduction zone (27) for the direct reduction of metal ore, in particular of iron ore (26), as a reducing gas that is at least largely free from CO.sub.2 and after reaction with the metal ore (26) is withdrawn as an export gas and purified in a scrubber. In order to exploit the sludges incurring in the scrubbers while expending as little energy as possible, the sludges obtained in the scrubbing of the top gas from the first reduction zone (2) are dewatered and charged into the melter gasifier (15), whereas the sludges obtained in the scrubbing of the export gas of the further reduction zone (27) are dewatered and fed into the first direct reduction zone (2).