Abstract: Rational utilization of low-grade nickel oxide ore（known as laterite nickel ore） is an important way to make up for shortage of nickel in the stainless steel industry of our country. The new technology on the primary smelting of 300 series stainless steel was presented，which used the hot metal containing Ni as raw material and after pretreatment by converter，instead of traditional process of “ferro nickel ingot + EAF”，and then provided stainless steel liquid to AOD，completing the refining process of stainless steel. The technology has been applied in a domestic stainless steel factory and the production data indicated that：the semi steel of pretreatment converter endpoint average carbon is 2.5%；average silicon is 0.27%，desiliconization rate is about 84.3%；average phosphorus is 0.028%，dephosphorization rate is about 61.5%. The chemical composition of SUS304 product produced by the new process，completely meet the requirements of GB/T20878—2007，and the cost of production is reduced greatly.

Key words: laterite nickel ore, hot metal containing Ni, hot metal pretreatment, stainless steel