Preparation of magnesium

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A VOLATILE METAL WHICH COMPRISES: (A) PROVIDING AT ABOUT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE A MOLTEN SLAG MATERIAL, SAID SLAG MATERIAL PRODUCED BY THE REACTION OF A REDUCING AGENT AND A METALLOTHERMICALLY REDUCIBLE VOLATILE METAL SOURCE MATERIAL, (B) ADDING TO SAID MOLTEN SLAG QUANTITIES OF SAID REDUCING AGENT AND A METALLOTHERMICALLY REDUCIBLE VOLATILE METAL SOURCE MATERIAL, (C) RAISING THE RESULTING FLUID MIXTURE OF SAID SLAG TO AN ELEVATED REACTION CHAMBER AND PROVIDING A LAYER OF SAID FLUID MIXTURE IN SAID REACTION CHAMBER WHILE MAINTAINING THE FLUID MASS AT A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH METALLOTHERMIC REDUCTION TO THE VOLATILE METAL TAKES PLACE AND WHEREIN THE VOLATILE METAL IS IN THE VAPOR STATE AND PROVIDING A LOW ABSOLUTE PRESSURE IN SAID ELEVATED REACTION CHAMBER ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID LAYER, (D) REMOVING VOLATILE PRODUCT METAL AS VAPOR FROM THE FLUID MASS AND FROM THE REACTION CHAMBER BY THE LOW PRESSURE MAINTAINED ABOVE SAID LAYER OF FLUID MIXTURE, (E) RETURNING THE CO-PRODUCED MOLTEN SLAG MATERIAL TO SAID HEATING APPARATUS, AND (F) REMOVING SAID SLAG IN A CONTROLLED MANNER FROM SAID HEATING APPARATUS WITHOUT BREAKING THE LOW PRESSURE IN THE REACTION CHAMBER.