In a process for melting down sponge metal (11) in an electric-arc furnace (1) having at least one electrode (6), the sponge metal (11) is introduced into the electric-arc furnace (1) under formation of at least one sponge metal jet (15) which in the immediate vicinity of an electrode (6) hits the bath level (16) present in the electric-arc furnace (1), and for decarburization and/or intermixing the bath and/or charging energy oxygen is blown into the melt (7). For a CO post-combustion, in addition to the oxygen introduced for decarburization and/or intermixing the bath and/or charging energy into the melt at least one jet (14) of oxygen or one jet (14) of an oxygen-containing gas is blown into the electric-arc furnace (1) at a low rate, which jet hits the bath level (16) in the region of the point of incidence of the sponge metal jet (15), which preferably is conveyed into the electric-arc furnace (1) by gravitation alone, and/or immediately adjacent to the point of incidence of the sponge metal jet (15) and which jet in the region or vicinity of that point of incidence, on the side facing the electrode(s) (6) of the electric-arc furnace (1), is shielded by the sponge metal jet (15) relative to the electrode(s) (6) in the form of a protective shield.