Method of producing group iv-a metals

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR PRODUCIG A SOLID FROM OF GROUP IV-A REFRACTORY METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, AND HAFNIUM, COMPRISING FORCIBLY AND CONTINUOUSLY CHARGIG A MIXTURE COMPRISING PEDETERMINED AMOUNTS OF A SOLID REDUCING METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI, ALKALINE EARTH METALS AND MAGNESIUM, AND A SOLID METAL HALIDE SALT OF SAID REFRACTORY METAL UPWARDLY INTO A COOLED WALL REACTOR FOR REACTION THEREIN AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, CHARGING SAID MIXTURE AT SUCH THAT A REACTION ZONE IS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID REACTOR AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE HALIDE SALT PORTION OF THE MASS UNDERGOING REACTION AND BELOW THE VAPORIZATION TEMPERATURE OF THE REFRACTORY METAL UNDER PRODUCTION AND SAID REDUCING METAL, MAINTAINING A SUPERINCUMBENT MELTING ZONE ABOVE SAID REACTION ZONE TO FORM A MOLTEN POOL OF SAID RREFRACTORY PRODUCT DURING SAID REACTION, REMOVING FLUID HALIDE SALT REACTION BY-PRODUCT AND ANCILLARY VAPORS FROM THE REACTOR THROUGH A WITHDRAWAL OUTLET ARRANGED ABOVE SAID REACTION ZONE AND BELOW SAID MELTING ZONE, FLOWING AN INERT GAS AT A POSITIVE PRESSURE DOWNWARDLY IN SAID REACTOR AND THROUGH SAID MELTING ZONE, AROUND THE EDGES OF SAID MOLTEN POOL, AND OUT SAID BY-PRODUCT WITHDRAWAL OUTLET, SUBJECTING THE SOLID REFRACTORY METAL PRODUCT OBTAINED IN THE REACTOR TO ARC MELTING TO FORM A MOLTED POOL THEREOF WITHIN SAID SUPERINCUMBENT MELTING ZONE, AND DRAINING SAID MOLTEN METAL PRODUCT FROM SAID POOL INTO AN ASSOCIATED COLLECTING ZONE FOR SOLIDIFICATION AND RECOVERY.