Process for the metallo-thermic reduction of beryllium oxide, beryllium minerals, as well as mixtures of beryllium containing metal oxides
OwnerManfredi Orgerainventor
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Abstract
A process for the reduction of beryllium oxide in the pure state or contained in beryllium minerals or in mixtures of metal oxides by means of finely pulverized aluminium, magnesium or silicon, with an alumino-thermic type reaction which takes place at a temperature ranging between 2400.degree. and 3200.degree. C. with the addition of compounds rich in oxygen, such as the alkali metal nitrates.
Claims7
A method of conducting a metallo-thermic reduction of a material selected from the group consisting of beryllium oxide, beryllium minerals, and mixtures of beryllium oxide with other metal oxides, comprising the steps of intimately mixing said material alone or in combination, with a powder of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium and silicon taken alone or in mixtures, alloys or intermetallic compounds thereof, and with an alkali metal nitrate selected from the group consisting of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate, whereby heat temperatures of a reaction of a mixture are increased to about 2400.degree.-3200.degree. C., at which temperatures the beryllium oxide is completely reduced to beryllium metal, wherein said powder of said metal does not exceed 90% by weight of the material to be reduced and said alkali metal nitrate does not exceed 50% by weight of the material to be reduced;
- and thereafter allowing the reaction mixture to cool and separating the resultant beryllium metal or beryllium alloy from a slag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.