Electrolysis of rare-earth elements and yttrium

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A METAL OF HIGH PURITY OF THE GROUP OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTIUM COMPRISING, PROVIDING A MASS OF MOLTEN ALLOY OF SAID METAL WITH A RELATIVELY MINOR PROPORTION OF SOLVENT METAL MORE NOBLE WITH RESPECT TO HALOGENS AND WHICH MASS IS IN SURFACE CONTACT AS CATHODE AT ONE PORTION WITH A MOLTEN ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE FORMED BY A COMPOUND OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE OXIDES AND HALIDES OF SAID RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM DISSOLVED IN AT LEAST ONE SOLVENT METAL HALIDE WHOSE CATIONS ARE LESS NOBLE THAN THOSE OF THE SAID RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM WITH RESPECT TO THE ANIONS CONTAINED IN SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE, SAID MASS OF MOLTEN ALLOY BEING BROUGHT INTO ANOTHER SURFACE CONTACT WITH A CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE OXIDE AND OXYGEN FREE AND CONSISTING OF AT LEAST ONE SOLVENT CHLORIDE TO THE GROUP OF METALS WHOSE CATION ARE LESS NOBLE THAN THOSE OF SAID RARE-EARTH METALS WITH RESPECT TO CHLORIDES AND CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE SOLUTE CHLORIDE OF THE GROUP OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM, AND ELECTROLYZING SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE AND MOLTEN ALLOY AND CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE IN SERIES BETWEEN AN ANODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE AND A CATHODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID CATHODE ELECTROLYTE, AND SELECTIVELY AND PREFERENTIALLY DISSOLVING SAID RARE-WITH METAL FROM SAID LIQUID ALLOY ELECTRODE ACTING AS AN ANODE AND DEPOSITING SAID METAL OF THE GROUP OF METALS OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM ON A SOLID CATHODE IMMERSED IN SAID CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE IN THE FORM OF LARGE CRYSTALS OF HIGH PURITY.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A METAL OF HIGH PURITY OF THE GROUP OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTIUM COMPRISING, PROVIDING A MASS OF MOLTEN ALLOY OF SAID METAL WITH A RELATIVELY MINOR PROPORTION OF SOLVENT METAL MORE NOBLE WITH RESPECT TO HALOGENS AND WHICH MASS IS IN SURFACE CONTACT AS CATHODE AT ONE PORTION WITH A MOLTEN ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE FORMED BY A COMPOUND OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE OXIDES AND HALIDES OF SAID RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM DISSOLVED IN AT LEAST ONE SOLVENT METAL HALIDE WHOSE CATIONS ARE LESS NOBLE THAN THOSE OF THE SAID RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM WITH RESPECT TO THE ANIONS CONTAINED IN SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE, SAID MASS OF MOLTEN ALLOY BEING BROUGHT INTO ANOTHER SURFACE CONTACT WITH A CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE OXIDE AND OXYGEN FREE AND CONSISTING OF AT LEAST ONE SOLVENT CHLORIDE TO THE GROUP OF METALS WHOSE CATION ARE LESS NOBLE THAN THOSE OF SAID RARE-EARTH METALS WITH RESPECT TO CHLORIDES AND CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE SOLUTE CHLORIDE OF THE GROUP OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM, AND ELECTROLYZING SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE AND MOLTEN ALLOY AND CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE IN SERIES BETWEEN AN ANODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID ANOLYTE ELECTROLYTE AND A CATHODE IN CONTACT WITH SAID CATHODE ELECTROLYTE, AND SELECTIVELY AND PREFERENTIALLY DISSOLVING SAID RARE-WITH METAL FROM SAID LIQUID ALLOY ELECTRODE ACTING AS AN ANODE AND DEPOSITING SAID METAL OF THE GROUP OF METALS OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND YTTRIUM ON A SOLID CATHODE IMMERSED IN SAID CATHOLYTE ELECTROLYTE IN THE FORM OF LARGE CRYSTALS OF HIGH PURITY.