Electrolytic process of producing alkali and alkaline earth metals

Claim 1

A CYCLIC PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METALS AND THE ALKALINE EARTH METALS WHICH COMPRISES ELECTROLYZING BETWEEN SUBSTANTIALLY INERT ELECTRODES IN A CELL A SOLUTION OF A SALT OF SAID METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE PERCHLORATE AND THIOCYANATE IN AN ANHYDROUS LIQUID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AMMONIA, METHYLAMINE, ETHYLAMINE AND PYRIDINE TO PRODUCE A CATHODE PRODUCT AND AN ANODE PRODUCT, THE CONCENTRATION OF SALT IN SAID ANHYDROUS LIQUID AT LEAST IN CONTACT WITH SAID CATHODE PRODUCT BEING AT LEAST 2 MOLS OF SALT PER LITRE OF ANHYDROUS LIQUID TO PROVIDE A MEDIUM IN WHICH THE CATHODE PRODUCT IS SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE; SEPARATING THE CATHODE PRODUCT FROM THE ELECTROLYTE, WHEREBY A CATHODE PRODUCT COMPRISING THE METAL SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM SALT IS OBTAINED; SEPARATING THE ANODE PRODUCT COMPRISING THE ANHYDROUS LIQUID, THE ANION OF SAID METAL SALT AND ITS ASSOCIATED SOLVATED PROTON, SH+, WHERE S IS SAID ANHYDROUS LIQUID, FROM THE CELL; REACTING THE ANION OF SAID METAL SALT AND ITS ASSOCIATED SOLVATED PROTON WITH A COMPOUND OF SAID METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE OXIDE, HYDROXIDE AND CARBONATE TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING METAL SALT, AND UTILIZING SAID METAL SALT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS FORM, AS SOURCE MATERIAL IN THE PROCESS.