Method of producing refractory metal

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A FOURTH GROUP REFRACTORY METAL WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SOLID, OXYGEN-CONTAINING MAGNESIUM HAVING ABOUT A 0.01 TO 0.04 WEIGHT PERCENT OXYGEN CONTENT WITH VAPORIZED, SUBSTANTIALLY OXYGENFREE MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE WITHIN A CLOSED, DRY, AIR-FREE REACTION CHAMBER, CONDENSING SAID VAPORIZED MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE ON THE SURFACE OF SAID SOLID MAGNESIUM WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, MELTING SAID MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE IN SAID CHAMBER UNDER TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 725-1000*C., AND CONTACTING THE TWO RESULTING LIQUID PHASES THEREIN TO PERMIT OXYGEN PRESENT IN SAID MAGNESIUM TO TRANSFER TO SAID MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, REMOVING FROM SAID CHAMBER THE RESULTING OXYGEN-CONTAINING MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, AND THEN REACTING THE PURIFIED OXYGEN-FREE MAGNESIUM WHICH REMAINS IN SAID CHAMBER WITH A CHLORIDE OF A FOURTH GROUP REFRACTORY METAL, EFFECTING SAID REACTION AT A TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM 7501100*C. UNDER AN INERT ATMOSPHER AND PRIOR TO ADMITTING AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER, AND RECOVERING THE RESULTING PURE REFRACTORY METAL PRODUCT.