Metalothermic reduction of refractory metal oxides

本发明涉及通过利用还原剂产生(燃烧后)的强放热反应使固体或液体形式的这种氧化物(18)经金属热还原由各自的氧化物形成适用于许多电、光和轧制成品/制造部件用途的高纯难熔金属、阀用金属、难熔金属氧化物、阀用金属氧化物或其合金，优选反应以连续或步进形式如重力下落(24)形式使氧化物移动，并且可在底部(30)回收金属，还原剂的氧化物可以气态或其它方便的形式被除去，并且可通过浸出或类似工艺将未反应的还原剂衍生物除去。 High purity refractory metals, valve metals, refractory metals oxides, valve metal oxides, or alloys thereof suitable for a variety of electrical, optical and mill product/fabricated parts usages are produced from their respective oxides by metalothermic reduction of a solid or liquid form of such oxide (18) using a reducing agent that establishes (after ignition) a highly exothermic reaction, the reaction preferably taking place in a continuously or step-wise moving oxide such as gravity fall (24) with metal retrievable at the bottom (30) and an oxide of the reducing agent being removable as a gas or in other convenient form and unreacted reducing agent derivatives being removable by leaching or like process.