Methods and apparatus for material processing using atmospheric thermal plasma reactor

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plasma containment vessel having at least one wall member defining an inner volume having a central axis, an inlet end, and an opposing outlet end;
• a mechanism configured to receive a source of radio frequency power having characteristics sufficient to produce an electromagnetic field within the plasma containment vessel for maintaining a plasma plume from a source of plasma gas;
• a material inlet disposed at the inlet end of the plasma containment vessel and operating to receive an elongate feedstock material having a longitudinal axis;
• a rotation assembly disposed in communication with the material inlet and operating to permit the feedstock material to spin about the longitudinal axis as a distal end of the feedstock material advances into the plasma plume, and
• a feedstock processing mechanism upstream from the material inlet, wherein the feedstock processing mechanism operates to substantially continuously receive, mix, press, and at least partially sinter the compounds into the feedstock material as the feedstock material is fed into the plasma containment vessel,
• wherein the feedstock material is a mixture of compounds that have been mixed, formed into the elongate shape, and at least partially sintered.