The published approaches to the mathematical modeling of rates of reduction, of coal gasification, and of devolatilization of coal in iron/ore coal composites are reviewed and critically analyzed. The effect of different parameters on the overall process is discussed. The concepts of a local rate of reduction and gasification and an integrated rate of reduction are introduced, and the rate-controlling steps in each are reviewed. Current approaches to modeling coal pyrolysis are also described. This review, with the estimates, data, and analysis related to modeling rates of reduction, gasification, and pyrolysis, should prove useful to researchers developing models of coalbased iron ore reduction and related processes.