A method is provided for producing metal by electrolytic reduction of a feedstock comprising an oxide of a first metal. The method comprises the steps of arranging the feedstock in contact with a cathode and a molten salt within an electrolysis cell, arranging an anode in contact with the molten salt within the electrolysis cell, and applying a potential between the anode and the cathode such that oxygen is removed from the feedstock. The anode comprises a second metal, which at the temperature of electrolysis within the cell is a molten metal. The second metal is a different metal to the first metal. Oxygen removed from the feedstock during electrolysis reacts with the molten second metal to form an oxide comprising the second metal. Thus, oxygen is not evolved as a gas at the molten anode.

The present disclosure related to an economic and environmental safe process for obtaining one or more metals from the red mud slag, bauxite, karst bauxite, lateritic bauxite, clay and the like. The present disclosure also related to a process for obtaining elemental aluminum by electrolyzing AlCl.sub.3 in the electrolysis cell.

An apparatus, also named transfer box or TB, for conveying an anode assembly outside of an electrolyte cell is described. An apparatus, also named cell preheater lifting beam or CPLB, for conveying an anode assembly or a cell pre-heater outside of an electrolyte cell is also disclosed. TB and CPLB are conjointly used for starting up the electrolytic cell or for replacing a spent anode assembly while maintaining the production of non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum or aluminium. The thermal insulation of the TB allows maintaining the anode temperature homogeneity and preventing thermal shocks when introducing the inert anodes into the hot electrolytic bath. TN and CPLB allow accurate positioning of anode assemblies or cell-preheaters over the electrolysis cell before achieving mechanical and electrical connections of the anode assembly or the cell pre-heater to the electrolysis cell. Several related methods for the operation of an electrolytic cell are also disclosed.

A method of refining a metal (e.g. titanium), comprising the following steps: (a) providing (10) an oxide of the metal having a level of impurities of at least 1.0 wt %; (b) reacting (12) the oxide of the metal to form an oxycarbide by providing an electrode comprising the oxide of the metal and carbon, and electrolytically reducing the electrode in a molten calcium chloride electrolyte; (c) electrolysing (14) the oxycarbide in an electrolyte, with the oxycarbide configured as an anode; and (d) recovering (16) a refined form of the metal from a cathode in the electrolyte.

An insulation assembly is provided, including: a body of an insulating material with a lower surface configured to contact a sidewall an electrolysis cell; an upper surface generally opposed to the lower surface; and a perimetrical sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface to surround the remainder of the body, the perimetrical sidewall including: an inner portion configured to face an anode surface of the electrolysis cell and provide a gap between the body and the anode surface of the electrolysis cell; wherein the body is configured to extend from the sidewall towards the anode surface.

An insulation assembly is provided, including: a body of an insulating material with a lower surface configured to contact a sidewall an electrolysis cell; an upper surface generally opposed to the lower surface; and a perimetrical sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface to surround the remainder of the body, the perimetrical sidewall including: an inner portion configured to face an anode surface of the electrolysis cell and provide a gap between the body and the anode surface of the electrolysis cell; wherein the body is configured to extend from the sidewall towards the anode surface.

A method for removing lead-210 (.sup.210Pb) from a metal, the method comprising determining a .sup.210Pb concentration in a metal to be refined; determining an amount of low alpha lead to be added to the metal to be refined from the .sup.210Pb concentration, the low alpha lead having a .sup.210Pb concentration below that of the metal to be refined; forming a doped metal mixture by adding the low alpha lead to the metal to be refined; refining the doped metal mixture to separate at least a portion of the lead in the doped metal mixture to form a refined metal having a .sup.210Pb concentration lower than that of the metal to be refined.

A method for removing lead-210 (.sup.210Pb) from a metal, the method comprising determining a .sup.210Pb concentration in a metal to be refined; determining an amount of low alpha lead to be added to the metal to be refined from the .sup.210Pb concentration, the low alpha lead having a .sup.210Pb concentration below that of the metal to be refined; forming a doped metal mixture by adding the low alpha lead to the metal to be refined; refining the doped metal mixture to separate at least a portion of the lead in the doped metal mixture to form a refined metal having a .sup.210Pb concentration lower than that of the metal to be refined.

A system (100) for refining a metal oxide can include a target material (110) and at least one energy source (120) associated with the target material (110). The target material (110) can include a metal oxide to be reduced to a metallic element. The energy source (120) can be configured to apply an energy input (130) to the target material (110). The energy input (130) can include as oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of target material (110). Additionally, a method of refining a metal oxide can include supplying an energy input to a target material that includes the metal oxide to reduce the metal oxide to a metallic element. The energy input can include an oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of the target material.

A method recovers an electropositive metal from a metal carbonate. In the method, hydrogen and halogen are combusted to form hydrogen halide. The solid metal carbonate is converted into metal chloride by a gaseous hydrogen halide. In an electrolysis, the metal chloride is decomposed into metal and halogen. The halogen produced in the electrolysis is led out of the electrolysis for combusting. Preferably, the hydrogen halide is produced by combusting the hydrogen and the halogen and the metal carbonate is converted into metal chloride in a fluidized bed reactor. Preferably, lithium is used as the metal.