Abstract Method for recovering valuable components from a molten admixture of fused magnesium salt, disperse magnesium metal and other substances, e.g. magnesium electrolytic cell sludge, including holding such admixture in fused state, under a fluoride-containing protective flux for magnesium metal, to form a layer of magnesium dispersed in a sludge and a separate layer of purified magnesium salt, withdrawing the metal-containing layer to a refining zone and thoroughly admixing therewith a metal-collecting magnesium fluoride-containing flux to form a layer of separated magnesium metal and a layer of residual sludge containing magnesium metal, recovering the separated metal, the residual sludge can then be admixed with an amount of fluoridecontaining flux to form a eutectic having a lower melting point than that of magnesium metal, maintaining such eutectic in molten form below the melting point of magnesium metal, and mechanically recovering magnesium metal therefrom, the protective and metalcollecting fluxes being substantially free of alkaline earth metals other than magnesium.
Inventors
👤 John G Scherer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-08 18:43
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B26/00; C22B26/20; C22B26/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the residual sludge is admixed with sufficient halide mixtures to form with the non-magnesium components thereof a eutectic mixture having a melting point less than that of magnesium metal, maintaining said residual sludge in molten state at a temperature below the melting point of said dispersed magnesium metal, and mechanically recovering said dispersed magnesium metal, said halide mixture consisting essentially of from about 40 to about 65% KCl2, about 25 to about 50% MgCl2, and from about 2 to about 8% CaF2.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said alkali metal chloride of said protective flux is KCl.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said protective flux consists essentially of about 65% MgCl2, about 33% KCl and about 2% MgF2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said metal-collecting flux consists essentially of from 50 to 60% MgCl2, from 25 to 35% MgO, and 15% MgF2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said metal-collecting flux consists essentially of about 70% LiCl and about 30% LiF2.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said sludge comprises about 30 percent magnesium metal, about 40 percent electrolyte and about 30 percent insoluble impurities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method as in claim 1, wherein said electrolyte has a lower specific gravity than magnesium.