A pyrometallurgical enrichment technology for siderite ore has been developed. By means of an inexpensive and environmentally benign technology for X-ray separation, a high-quality enriched product may be obtained. Analysis of options for producing reduced ore permits the identification of a thermal-reduction technology that is the most promising and is also relatively inexpensive. Once implemented, this approach will permit the processing of siderite ore at a rate of 2. 5 million t/yr and the production of sponge iron in quantities of around 0. 5 million t/yr after modernization of the mining and enrichment system within OAO Bakal'skoe Rudoupravlenie, without the need for the preliminary manufacture of oxidized pellets or the construction of expensive smelters.