Production of columbium and tantalum

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MASSIVE SHAPED METAL AGGREGATES OF AT LEAST ONE REFRACTORY METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COLUMBIUM AND TANTALUM COMPRISING, PREPARING A MIXTURE OF CARBONACEOUS REDUCING AGENT WITH AN OXIDE OF SAID SELECTED REFRACTORY METAL, SAID OXIDE OF SAID REFRACTORY METAL BEING PRESENT IN STOICHIOMETRIC EXCESS UP TO ABOUT 15 PERCEN TOVER STOICHIOMETRIC PROPORTIONS OF THE CARBONACEOUS REDUCING AGENT EMPOLYED, SAID OXIDE OF SAID REFRACTORY METAL AND SAID CARBONACEOUS REDUCING AGENT HAVING A PARTICLE SIZES WITHIN THE RANGE OF BEBWEEN ABOUT 1 AND 40 MICRONS, COMPACTING SAID MIXTURE TO A MASSIVE SHAPE AT A PRSSURE OF UP TO ABOUT 1500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH; HEATING SAID MIXTURE, UNDER VACUUM CONDITIONS, AT A RATE UP TO ABOUT 300*C. PER HOUR TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 2000*C. AND THE MELTING POINT OF THE METAL BEING PRODUCED UNTIL SUBSTANTIAL EVOLUTION OF GAS CEASES TO PRODUCE SAID PURE MASSIVE SHAPED METAL AGGREGATE; AND COOLING SAID METAL UNDER NON-CONTAMINATING CONDITIONS.