Summarized the development situation of rotary hearth furnace (RHF) direct reduction technology, ore resource allocation situation and direct reduction iron demand. The survey results show that: China's iron ore resource allocation heavily rely on imported iron ore, gas-based direct reduction process (MIDREX, HYL-III, FINMET) is not likely to be the mainly direct reduced iron (DRI) process in China. However, non coking coal resources is very rich in China, research and development of coal-based direct reduction process (such as FASTMET and ITMK3 process) has important practical significance, it can strengthen the comprehensive utilization on low grade iron ore, associated mineral resources and iron & steel plant dust and sludge. It has great significance to alleviate steel scrap demand and stable development of the iron and steel industry and protect the national economic security in China.