Method of reducing friction

A method of reducing the friction between the wall(s) of a mold and the outer wall(s) of a metal container fitting snugly in the mold and containing a material comprising a metal ammine complex salt selected from the group consisting of salts of the general formula:

• Ma(NH3)nXz,
• wherein M is one or more cations selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, such as Li, Na, K or Cs, alkaline earth metals, such as Mg, Ca, Ba or Sr, aluminium and transition metals, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn or combinations of said metals, X is one or more anions selected from the group consisting of fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, thiocyanate, sulphate, molybdate and phosphate ions;
• a is the number of cations per salt molecule;
• z is the number of anions per salt molecule;
• and n is the coordination number of 2 to 12;
• and mixtures thereof, which is uniaxially compacted within the container,
• wherein the method comprises
• a) treating or covering the inner wall(s) of the container with a lubricant before the material comprising the metal ammine complex salt or the material comprising the metal ammine complex salt wrapped into a gas-permeable enclosure made of a flexible material is placed into the container, or
• b) mixing a solid lubricant with the material comprising the metal ammine complex salt to be filled into the container is, or
• c) treating or covering a gas-permeable enclosure made of a flexible material with a lubricant into which the material comprising the metal ammine salt complex is wrapped before placing the wrapped material comprising a metal ammine complex salt wrapped into the enclosure is filled into the container, or
• any combination of a), b), and c),
• so as to facilitate the removal of the metal container from the mold.