METHOD FOR PRODUCING METAL

摘要

A method for producing a metal by an electrolysis method, characterized in that a porous ceramic article comprising yttria is used as a diaphragm. It is preferred that use is made of a diaphragm comprising a porous ceramic article having a purity of yttria of 90 mass % or higher (more preferably, 99 % or higher), a porosity of 1 % or more and a pore diameter of 20 µm or less, and having a thickness of 0.05 to 50 mm and that use is made of a halide of a metal as an electrolytic bath. Since calcium formed by electrolysis cannot pass through the above diaphragm, the back reaction can be effectively inhibited. The above method can be suitably utilized, in particular, for producing a metal such as calcium or a rare earth element. For example, when the method is applied to the production of calcium, metallic calcium can be produced without the need for enormous heat energy, with ease, at a low cost.