Production of niobium from niobium pentachloride

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NIOBIUM WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: FEEDING NIOBIUM PENTACHLORIDE INTO A FUSED SODIUM CHLORIDE-POTASSIUM CHLORIDE SALT MIXTURE CONTAINED IN A REACTION ZONE WHICH CONTAINS AN ALKALI METAL FLUORIDE IN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO COMBINE WITH THE NIOBIUM CONTENT OF THE NOIBIUM PENTACHLORIDE AS POTASSIUM NOIBIUM FLUORIDE DOUBLE SALT; MAINTAINING A NONOXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE IN THE REACTION ZONE; PROVIDING A BATH OF MOLTEN ZINC BELOW SAID FUSED SALT MIXTURE, SAID BATH CONTAINING ZINC IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR FORMATION OF NBZN3, AND COLLECTING NBZN3, IN SOLID FORM ON THE WALL OF THE REACTION ZONE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SCRAPING NBZN3 FROM THE WALL OF THE REACTION ZONE TO SETTLE IN THE BATH OF MOLTEN ZINC; INTERMITTENTLY PASSING MOLTEN ZINC AND COLLECTED NBZN3 TO A SETTLING ZONE, SAID SETTLING ZONE COMMUNICATING INTERMITTENTLY WITH SAID REACTION ZONE BY MEANS OF A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, THE INTERMITTENT COMMUNICATION BEING PROVIDED BY ALTERNATELY MELTING AND FREEZING ZINC IN THE PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID REACTION ZONE AND SAID SETTLING ZONE; COLLECTING NBZN3 IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID SETTLING ZONE; RECYCLING ZINC FROM THE UPPER PART OF SAID SETTLING ZONE TO SAID REACTION ZONE; COOLING NBZN3 AND MOLTEN ZINC IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID SETTLING ZONE TO FORM AN INGOT; AND RECOVERING NIOBIUM IN ELEMENTAL FORM FROM SAID INGOT.