Method of producing refractory metals

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A REFRACTORY METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, COLUMBIUM, MOLYBDENUM, TUNGSTEN AND TANTALUM, WHICH COMPRISES REACTING, AT TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM ABOUT 750-1400* C., AN ALKALINE EARTH REDUCING METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, BARIUM AND STRONTIUM, WITH A VOLATILE HALIDE OF SAID REFRACTORY METAL, THE HALOGEN COMPONENT OF WHICH HAS AN ATOMIC NUMBER ABOVE, 9. EFFECTING THE REACTION WITHIN A CLOSED REACTOR HAVING A REACTION ZONE MAINTAINED OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE INTERNAL WALLS OF SAID REACTOR, DURING THE REACTION FORCIBILY CHARGING THE REDUCING METAL IN THE FORM OF A CONTINUOUS, ELONGATED SOLID INTO SAID REACTOR AND AN ATMOSPHERE OF THE VOLATILE HALIDE REACTANT PRESENT THEREIN, MAINTAING THE SAME OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE REACTOR INTERNAL SURFACES AND THE REACTANT END PORTION THEREOF IN SAID REACTION ZONE AND IN SUBSTANTIAL PROXIMITY TO AND ABOVE THE REFRACTORY METAL REACTION PRODUCT BEING FORMED AND DESPOSITED IN THE REACTOR, SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVING SAID PRODUCT FROM SAID REACTOR AND SUBJECTING IT TO PURIFICATION TREATMENT.