Apparatuses and methods of making titanium or a titanium alloy which include providing a first feed material and a carbon source material to a first reaction chamber in which the first feed material includes a solid aluminum oxide. The method also includes heating the first feed material and the carbon source material to reduce the solid aluminum oxide to one or more gaseous species including aluminum. The method also includes providing the one or more gaseous species including aluminum to a second reaction chamber, the second reaction chamber containing a second feed material which includes a solid titanium oxide. The method also includes reducing the solid titanium oxide with the one or more gaseous species including aluminum to form molten titanium metal or molten titanium alloy.

A method to extract and refine metal products from metal-bearing ores, including a method to extract and refine titanium products, wherein titanium products can be extracted from titanium-bearing ores with TIO2 and impurity levels unsuitable for conventional methods.

Apparatuses and methods of making titanium or a titanium alloy which include providing a first feed material and a carbon source material to a first reaction chamber in which the first feed material includes a solid aluminum oxide. The method also includes heating the first feed material and the carbon source material to reduce the solid aluminum oxide to one or more gaseous species including aluminum. The method also includes providing the one or more gaseous species including aluminum to a second reaction chamber, the second reaction chamber containing a second feed material which includes a solid titanium oxide. The method also includes reducing the solid titanium oxide with the one or more gaseous species including aluminum to form molten titanium metal or molten titanium alloy.