Apparatus for the direct reduction of mineral iron comprising a vertical reduction furnace (10) of the type with a gravitational load to achieve therein reduction reactions of the mineral iron, means (11) to feed the mineral iron into the furnace (10) from above, means to raise the temperature of a reducing gas, mixing means suitable to obtain a mixture of the reducing gas with at least a hydrocarbon, means to inject the mixture of high temperature gas, and means to remove (15) the reduced mineral from the lower part of the furnace (10), the furnace (10) being provided with at least two zones (12, 14), arranged vertically distanced, in each of which a mixture of high temperature gas is suitable to be introduced so as to achieve the reduction reactions in a controlled manner.