Method for production of a composite material using excess oxidant

A solid composite material comprising:

• a matrix of oxidised reductant (Ro), wherein said oxidised reductant (Ro) comprises a metal halide (MRX) selected from the group consisting of MgCl2, NaCl, KCl, LiCl, BaCl2, CaCl2, BeCl2, AlCl3 and any combination thereof;
• a product metal (MP) dispersed in said matrix of oxidised reductant (Ro);
• and
• (i) one or more metal compounds (MPCR) of said product metal (MP) in one or more oxidation states, and optionally (ii) a reductant (R);
• wherein said one or more metal compounds (MPCR) of said product metal (MP) in one or more oxidation states comprise one or more metal halides (MPX) of said metal component (MP);
• wherein said product metal (MP) is selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminium, vanadium, chromium, niobium, molybdenum, zirconium, silicon, boron, tin, hafnium, yttrium, iron, copper, nickel, bismuth, manganese, palladium, tungsten, cadmium, zinc, silver, cobalt, tantalum, scandium, ruthenium and the rare earths or a combination of any two or more thereof.