Fluidized bed process for the production of molybdenum

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING FREE-FLOWING, FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM METAL FROM A STARTING FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND OF ONE OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MOLYBDENUM OXIDE AND AMMONIUM PARAMOLYBDATE, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES: (A) PLACING SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND INTO A REACTION CHAMBER; (B) FORCING A REDUCING GAS HEATED TO A FIRST PREDETERMEINED TEMPERATURE, SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE SAID STARTING MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND TO MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE, INTO SAID REACTION CHAMBER AND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND AND SIMULTANEOUSLY VIBRATING SAID REACTION CHAMBER TO CAUSE SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND TO ASSUME A FLUIDIZED STATUS OF CONSTANT AGITATION; (C) CONTINUING TO FORCE SAID HEATED REDUCING GAS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND AS MAINTAIINED IN A FLUIDIZED STATUS OF CONSTANT AGITATION UNTIL SAID STARTING MOLYBDENUM COMPOUND HAS BEEN REDUCED TO FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE; (D) FORCING A REDUCING GAS HEATED TO A SECOND PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE SAID MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE TO MOLYBDENUM METAL, INTO SAID REACTION CHAMBER AND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY VIBRATING SAID REACTION CHAMBER TO CAUSE SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE TO ASSUME A FLUIDIZED STATUS OF CONSTANT AGITATION; AND (E) CONTAINING TO FORCE SAID REDUCING GAS HEATED TO SAID SECOND PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE AS MAINTAINED IN A FLUIDIZED STATUS OF CONSTANT AGITATION UNTIL SAID MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE HAS BEEN REDUCED TO FREE-FLOWING, FINELY DIVIDED MOLYBDENUM METAL.