Method of producing metal borides

Claim 1

METHOD OF PRODUCING BORIDES OF TRANSITION METALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, CHROMIUM, MANGANESE, MOLYBDENUM, TUNGSTE, COLUMBIUM AND TANTALUM, BY FORMING INTO A VERTICAL ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE CONTAINER A CUP SHAPED CHARGE OF AN INTIMATE MIXTURE OF FINELY COMMINUTED COMPONENTS COMPRISING AN OXIDE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TRANSITION METALS, A BORIC ACID COMPONENT, AND CARBON, SAID CUP SHAPED CHARGE PROVIDING A CENTRAL CAVITY FOR INTRODUCING VERTICALLY WITHIN SAID CAVITY ELECTRODE MEANS FOR ELECTRIC ARC GENERATION ABOVE THE BOTTOM AND WITHIN THE SPACE SAID CUP SHAPED CHARGE PROVIDES, IGNITING AN ELECTRIC ARC, BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE MEANS TO MELT THE BORIC ACID COMPONENT AND TO VITRIFY THE WALL OF SAID CAVITY AND TO DEHYDRATE THE BORIC ACID, INCREASING THE ENERGY OF THE ELECTRIC ARC TO START AND MAINTAIN THE REDUCTION OF THE BORIC ACID AND THE TRASITION METAL COMPONENTS BY SAID CARBON COMPONENT WITH THE FORMATION OF CARBON MONOXIDE, THE COMPOSITION OF SAID MIXTURE BEING SUCH THAT A PROTECTIVE MONOXIDE ATMOSPHERE OF SUPERPRESSURE IS MAINTAINED IN SAID CAVITY, AND SMELTING BY MEANS OF SAID GENERATED ELECTRIC ARC A SUCCESSIVELY INCREASING BORIDE LUMP OF SAID REDUCED METAL COMPONENT INTO THE BOTTOM OF SAID CAVITY.