METHOD FOR SEPARATING AND RECOVERING HIGH MELTING POINT METAL

摘要

A method for separating and recovering a high melting point metal, wherein a molten salt(for example, calcium chloride) having a high melting point metal (for example, Ti) incorporated therein is heated and molten in an inert gas atmosphere, and the high melting point metal is separated in a liquid phase, to thereby recover the high melting point metal alone form the molten metal. The above method allows the recovery of metallic titanium with an energy consumption being very lower as compared to that in a conventional method, for example, the recovery of a metallic titanium in a sponge form by the vacuum separation used in the Kroll process, and also, allows the production of a titanium having good quality, since the above method is free from the fear of the incorporation of water adversely affecting the quality of titanium. Further, the above method is advantageous in that Ca is removed by evaporation in the method, which Ca is a hindrance when a molten salt containing CaCl₂ is electrolyzed in a process for producing Ti by the Ca reduction of TiCl₄. Accordingly, the above method can be effectively utilized as a method for separation and recovery, when a high melting point metal, particularly Ti or a Ti alloy, is produced by the Ca reduction of TiCl₄.