The metallurgical properties of pellets, sinter and lump ore are predominantly described by their disintegration behaviour, their reducibility as well as by high temperature properties like melting and dripping. Under conditions of high injection rates and extended retention time of the burden in the blast furnace, the standardised test procedures, usually applied for the characterisation of burden materials, do not longer correspond to the actual conditions and do not sufficiently describe the quality parameters of the burden. Research work is necessary to define temperature and gas composition profile, at the blast furnace periphery, and at half radius over the furnace height. Research is also necessary to determine the effects on the metallurgical properties. New routine test procedures for the characterisation of the disintegration behaviour and the reducibility are also to be developed.