Method of refining metals

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, THORIUM, TUNGSTEN, VANADIUM, MOLYBDENUM AND URANIUM BY THE DISPROPORTIONATION OF AN UNSATURATED HALIDE OF THE METAL, WHICH COMPRISES HALOGENATING A CRUDE MIXTURE OF SAID METAL WITH A SATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, THE HALOGEN COMPONENT OF WHICH IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CHLORINE, IODINE AND BROMINE, EFFECTING SAID HALOGENATION IN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 600-870*C. THEREBY TO FORM AN UNSATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL AND IMPURITIES COMPRISING METALLIC OXIDES AND CARBIDES, WITHDRAWING SAID IMPURITIES FROM SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND INTRODUCING THEM INTO AN AUXILIARY REACTION ZONE FOR HALOGENATION THEREIN, EFFECTING SAID HALOGENATION IN SAID AUXILIARY REACTION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 350-500*C. THEREBY TO FORM ADDITIONAL UNSATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, WITHDRAWING SAID UNSATURATED HALIDE AS A LIQUID FROM SAID REACTION ZONES AND INTRODUCING IT INTO A SECOND REACTION ZONE FOR DISPROPORTIONATION THEREIN TO SAID METAL AND A SATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, EFFECTING SAID DISPROPORTIONATION IN SAID SECOND ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 800-1150*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A BODY OF SAID METAL, DEPOSITING DISPROPORTIONATED METAL ON SAID BODY AND RECIRCULATING THE SATURATED HALIDE FORMED DURING DISPROPORTIONATION TO SAID FIRST AND AUXILIARY REACTION ZONES FOR ACCOMPLISHING SAID HALOGENATION THEREIN.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, THORIUM, TUNGSTEN, VANADIUM, MOLYBDENUM AND URANIUM BY THE DISPROPORTIONATION OF AN UNSATURATED HALIDE OF THE METAL, WHICH COMPRISES HALOGENATING A CRUDE MIXTURE OF SAID METAL WITH A SATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, THE HALOGEN COMPONENT OF WHICH IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CHLORINE, IODINE AND BROMINE, EFFECTING SAID HALOGENATION IN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 600-870*C. THEREBY TO FORM AN UNSATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL AND IMPURITIES COMPRISING METALLIC OXIDES AND CARBIDES, WITHDRAWING SAID IMPURITIES FROM SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND INTRODUCING THEM INTO AN AUXILIARY REACTION ZONE FOR HALOGENATION THEREIN, EFFECTING SAID HALOGENATION IN SAID AUXILIARY REACTION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 350-500*C. THEREBY TO FORM ADDITIONAL UNSATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, WITHDRAWING SAID UNSATURATED HALIDE AS A LIQUID FROM SAID REACTION ZONES AND INTRODUCING IT INTO A SECOND REACTION ZONE FOR DISPROPORTIONATION THEREIN TO SAID METAL AND A SATURATED HALIDE OF SAID METAL, EFFECTING SAID DISPROPORTIONATION IN SAID SECOND ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND AT FROM ABOUT 800-1150*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A BODY OF SAID METAL, DEPOSITING DISPROPORTIONATED METAL ON SAID BODY AND RECIRCULATING THE SATURATED HALIDE FORMED DURING DISPROPORTIONATION TO SAID FIRST AND AUXILIARY REACTION ZONES FOR ACCOMPLISHING SAID HALOGENATION THEREIN.