Production of zinc

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF RECOVERING ZINC DISSOLVED IN A BODY OF MOLTEN LEAD USED CYCLICALLY IN A ZINC VAPOR CONDENSING ZONE AS A CONDENSING MEDIUM FOR ZINC VAPOR OBTAINED IN A ZINC SMELTING OPERATION, THE RESULTING MOLTEN ZINC-RICH LEAD BEING TREATED IN A ZINC SEPARATING ZONE TO RECOVER ZINC, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONDENSING THE ZINC VAPOR IN MOLTEN LEAD THAT IS AT LEAST SATURATED WITH ZINC AT THE TEMPERATURE MAINTAINED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY QUEISCENT BODY OF MOLTEN ZINCCONTAINING LEAD IN THE ZINC SEPARATING ZONE, CONTINUING SAID CONDENSATION OF ZINC VAPOR UNTIL THE ZINC CONTENT OF THE MOLTEN ZINC-CONTAINING LEAD BUILDS UP TO A POINT CORRESPONDING TO THE SATURATION POINT OF THE MOLTEN LEAD FOR ZINC AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MOLTEN ZINE-CONTAINING LEAD IN THE CONDENSING ZONE BUT ABOVE THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE MOLTEN ZINCCONTAINING LEAD IS MAINTAINED IN SAID QUIESCENT BODY, MOVING THE RESULTING ZINC-RICH MOLTEN LEAD FROM THE CONDENSING ZONE TO THE ZINC SEPARATING ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE FREEZING POINT OF THE ZINC, FORMING AND MAINTAINING THE QUIESCENT BODY OF THE MOLTEN ZINC-CONTAINING LEAD IN THE SEPARATING ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE STILL SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE FREEZING POINT OF THE ZINC BUT AT WHICH ZINC SEPARATES AND RISES TO THE TOP OF SAID QUIESCENT BODY TO FORM A SUPERNATANT OVERLYING LAYER OF MOLTEN ZINC AND AN UNDERLYING LAYER OF MOLTEN LEAD SATURATED WITH ZINC AT ITS PREVAILING TEMPERATURE, REMOVING MOLTEN ZINC FROM THE SUPERNATANT LAYER WHILE STILL MAIN-, TAINED AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ITS FREEZING POINT, SEPARATELY COLLECTING THE MOLTEN ZINC SO REMOVED, AND WITHDRAWING MOLTEN LEAD LEAN IN ZINC WHILE STILL SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE ZINC IN THE LEAD-ZINC MIXTURE FROM THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE UNDERLYING LAYER IN THE FORM OF A CONTINUOUS STREAM AND RETURNING IT AT SUCH TEMPERATURE TO THE CONDENSING ZONE FOR RE-USE IN CONDENSING MORE ZINC VAPOR.