Metal containing compound reduction and melting process

Abstract

The present invention provides a metal containing compound reduction and melting process which entails feeding a burden made of a mixture of the metal containing compound and a suitable reductant in particulate form into an electrically heatable vessel which contains a bath of the metal in liquid form so that a reaction zone is formed in the burden in which the metal containing compound is reduced and a melting zone is formed below the reaction zone in which the reduced metal is melted; and controlling the process in such a manner that substantially all of the reduction of the metal containing compound takes place in the solid phase. The present invention also provides an apparatus for carrying the process into operation, which has a single compartment channel type induction furnace in which the reduction and melting are carried out, the compartment being provided with at least one feeding port for the burden; at least one exit port for the liquid metal product; and at least one exit port for any slag formed in the reaction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.