Process for continuously producing aluminum from clays

A process for continuous production of aluminum from aluminous ore, the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing aluminous ore, containing iron impurities, and a carbon source;
• (b) drying the aluminous ore;
• (c) drying the carbon source;
• (d) mixing the dried aluminous ore, the dried carbon source, and a sulfur containing compound;
• (e) calcining the mixture in a first fluidized bed reactor in the presence of air;
• (f) chlorinating the calcined mixture in a second fluidized bed reactor in the presence of additional carbon source and additional sulfur therein producing crude metal chlorides and waste gasses;
• (g) condensing solid crude aluminum chloride and separating the solid crude aluminum chloride from gaseous crude silicon tetrachloride and titanium tetrachloride;
• (h) reactively subliming and desubliming the solid crude aluminum chloride in the presence of additional iron to produce substantially pure aluminum chloride;
• and
• (i) electrolysis of the substantially pure aluminum chloride dissolved in a molten solvent having a higher electrodecomposition potential than aluminum chloride to produce aluminum and chlorine.

A process for continuous production of metal from metallic ore, the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing metallic ore, containing iron impurities, and a carbon source;
• (b) drying the metallic ore;
• (c) drying the carbon source;
• (d) mixing the dried metallic ore, the dried carbon source, and a sulfur containing compound;
• (e) calcining the mixture in a first fluidized bed reactor in the presence of air;
• (f) chlorinating the calcined mixture in a second fluidized bed reactor in the presence of additional carbon source and additional sulfur, thereby producing crude metal chlorides and waste gasses;
• (g) condensing solid crude metal chloride and separating the solid crude the metal chloride from gaseous crude silicon tetrachloride and titanium tetrachloride;
• (h) reactively subliming and desubliming the solid crude metal chloride in the presence of Chaplin metal particles to produce substantially pure aluminum chloride;
• and
• (i) electrolysis of the substantially pure metal chloride dissolved in a molten solvent having a higher electrodecomposition potential than the metal chloride to produce metal and chlorine.

A process for continuous production of metal from metallic ore, the process comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing metallic ore, containing iron impurities, and a carbon source;
• (b) drying the metallic ore;
• (c) mixing the dried metallic ore, the dried carbon source, and a sulfur containing compound;
• (d) mixing the dried metallic ore, the dried carbon source, and a sulfur contained compound;
• (e) calcining the mixture in a first fluidized bed reactor in the presence of air;
• (f) chlorinating the calcined mixture in a second fluidized bed reactor in the presence of additional carbon source and additional sulfur, thereby producing crude metal chlorides and waste gasses;
• (g) condensing solid crude metal chloride and separating the solid crude metal chloride from gaseous crude silicon tetrachloride and titanium tetrachloride;
• (h) reactively subliming and desubliming the solid crude metal chloride in the presence of Chaplin metal particles
• (i) electrolysis of the substantially pure metal chloride dissolved in a molten solvent having a higher electrodecomposition potential than the metal chloride to produce metal and chlorine;
• (j) recycling the chlorine to the second fluidized bed reactor.