METHOD TO PRODUCE METAL ZIRCONIUM Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C22B34/14 C25C3/26 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: method to produce metal zirconium according to this invention includes release of hafnium oxychloride from the first material containing zirconium and hafnium oxychlorides with production of the second material characterised by a higher content of zirconium oxychloride. Then the stage of tempering of the second material is carried out to produce the third material containing at least one of zirconium compounds, selected from zirconium oxychloride and zirconium oxide. Afterwards the stage of direct recovery of the third material arranged in a salt melt is carried out. At the same time the third material is brought into contact with a cathode, and voltage is supplied between the cathode and anode to provide for direct recovery of the third material in order to produce the metal zirconium.

EFFECT: development of the method to produce metal zirconium characterised by a low number of stages and lower amount of produced wastes, in which metal zirconium is produced from a zirconium compound containing hafnium.

17 cl, 8 dwg, 3 ex