Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides

A process for electrochemically reducing a metal oxide, in a solid state in an electrochemical cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, which process includes the steps of:

• applying a cell potential across the anode and the cathode that is capable of electrochemically reducing metal oxide supplied to the molten electrolyte bath,
• continuously or semi-continuously feeding the metal oxide in powder and/or pellet form into the molten electrolyte bath,
• transporting the powders and/or pellets along a path within the molten electrolyte bath in direct contact with the cathode for at least a substantial part of the path and reducing the metal oxide as the metal oxide powders and/or pellets move along the path, and
• continuously or semi-continuously removing metal from the molten electrolyte bath,
• wherein the metal oxide is titania, and the electrolyte is a CaCl2-based electrolyte that includes CaO as one of the constituents, and
• wherein the substantial part of the path is at least fifty percent of the path.