Method of producing refractory metals

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A REFRACTORY METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, COLUMBIUM, HAFNIUM, MOLYBDENUM, TANTALUM AND TUNGSTEN, WHICH COMPRISES REACTING A REDUCING METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, BARIUM, STRONTIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM AND LITHIUM, WITH A VOLATILE HALIDE OF SAID REFRACTORY METAL, THE HALOGEN COMPONENT OF WHICH HAS AN ATOMIC NUMBER GREATER THAN 9, EFFECTING THE REACTION AT FROM ABOUT 750-1400* C. WITHIN A CLOSED REACTION VESSEL THE REACTION ZONE OF WHICH IS MAINTAINED OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE WALLS OF SAID VESSEL, DURING SAID REACTION MAINTAINING A CONTINUOUS CHARGE OF SAID REDUCING METAL AND METAL HALIDE REACTANTS IN SAID REACTION ZONE AND SUBJECTING THE ENTIRE WALL SURFACES OF SAID VESSEL TO EXTERNAL COOLING TO MAINTAIN THEM AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE MELTING POINT OF THE REACTION BY-PRODUCT HALIDE SALT FORMED AND TO SOLIDIFY SAID SALT IN SAID VESSEL AS A SOLID, RETRACTABLE INGOT CONTAINING THE REFRACTORY METAL BEING PRODUCED, WITHDRAWING SAID INGOT FROM SAID VESSEL DURING THE REACTION AND RECOVERING THEREFROM ITS REFRACTORY METAL COMPONENT.