Method of preparing primary refractory metal

A method of preparing primary tantalum metal comprising:

• (a) heating a gas comprising a reactive gas, said reactive gas comprising hydrogen gas, thereby forming a heated gas;
• and
• (b) contacting particulate tantalum pentoxide with said heated gas at a temperature of 1900 K to 2900 K, thereby reducing said particulate tantalum pentoxide and forming primary tantalum metal;
• wherein the hydrogen gas of said heated gas and said particulate tantalum pentoxide contacted with said heated gas have a mass ratio of hydrogen gas to particulate tantalum pentoxide of greater than 1.5:1.

A method of preparing primary niobium metal comprising:

• (a) heating a gas comprising a reactive gas, said reactive gas comprising hydrogen gas, thereby forming a heated gas;
• and
• (b) contacting a particulate oxide of niobium selected from the group consisting of niobium dioxide, niobium pentoxide and combinations thereof, with said heated gas at a temperature of 2100 K to 2700 K, thereby reducing said particulate oxide of niobium and forming primary niobium metal;
• wherein the hydrogen gas of said heated gas and said particulate oxide of niobium contacted with said heated gas have a mass ratio of hydrogen gas to particulate oxide of niobium of at least 9:1.