A method for the production of a carbon material entirely from raw biomass feedstock for use in connection with a metallurgical production and refining process such as the production of steel, aluminum or silicon. The carbon material has a carbon content of greater than 50% by volume of non-volatile, high purity fixed elemental carbon and includes physical properties such as coking strength, conductivity, density, porosity, surface area and particle size which may be individually modified to meet the requirements of a specific metallurgical application.

A method for the production of a carbon material entirely from raw biomass feedstock for use in connection with a metallurgical production and refining process such as the production of steel, aluminum or silicon. The carbon material has a carbon content of greater than 50% by volume of non-volatile, high purity fixed elemental carbon and includes physical properties such as coking strength, conductivity, density, porosity, surface area and particle size which may be individually modified to meet the requirements of a specific metallurgical application.

The invention relates to nonferrous metallurgy and can be used for producing an aluminum-scandium alloy comprising 0.41-4 wt % of scandium in industrial production setting. The proposed method is carried out by melting aluminum and a mixture of salts comprising sodium, potassium and aluminum fluorides followed by performing simultaneously, while continuously supplying scandium oxide, an aluminothermic reduction of scandium from its oxide and an electrolytic decomposition of the formed alumina, wherein the concentration of the scandium oxide in the salt mixture melt is maintained at 1 to 8 wt. %. Periodically, at least a portion of the produced alloy is removed, aluminum is then charged, and the process of alloy production is continued while supplying scandium oxide. Also proposed is a reactor for producing an aluminum-scandium alloy by the disclosed method. The method makes it possible to produce the aluminum-scandium alloy with a predetermined composition, and ensures a high purity of the final product and a high level of scandium recovery while reducing the production process temperature and energy consumption.

In a method for recovering active metals of a lithium secondary battery according to an embodiment, a cathode active material mixture is collected from the cathode of the lithium secondary battery, the cathode active material mixture is reduced by a reducing reaction to prepare a preliminary precursor mixture, an aqueous lithium precursor solution is formed from the preliminary precursor mixture, and an aluminum-containing material is removed from the aqueous lithium precursor solution with an aluminum removing resin.

In a method for recovering active metals of a lithium secondary battery according to an embodiment, a cathode active material mixture is collected from the cathode of the lithium secondary battery, the cathode active material mixture is reduced by a reducing reaction to prepare a preliminary precursor mixture, an aqueous lithium precursor solution is formed from the preliminary precursor mixture, and an aluminum-containing material is removed from the aqueous lithium precursor solution with an aluminum removing resin.

A process for producing an aluminum-scandium based alloy from aluminum and scandium chloride, the process also producing aluminum chloride as a by-product and including the step of reducing scandium chloride in the presence of aluminum in a reaction zone and under reaction conditions which favor production of the aluminum-scandium based alloy.

A process for producing an aluminum-scandium based alloy from aluminum and scandium chloride, the process also producing aluminum chloride as a by-product and including the step of reducing scandium chloride in the presence of aluminum in a reaction zone and under reaction conditions which favor production of the aluminum-scandium based alloy.

An alumina- or magnesia-reducing process in which a greenhouse gas or substance harmful to the human body is not emitted, which can achieve improved energy efficiency in comparison with the Hall-Heroult or Pidgeon methods. The process includes: introducing an alumina or magnesia powder with a carrier gas to the upstream side of a throat provided on a reducing unit; pressure-transferring the powder and carrier gas to the throat by an operative gas introduced to the upstream side of the throat; irradiating the throat with a laser beam to convert the alumina or magnesia into a plasma state and dissociate the alumina or magnesia thermally; jetting the thermally dissociated product through a nozzle provided on the downstream side of the throat at a supersonic speed to form a frozen flow; and isolating aluminum or magnesium. Hydrogen may be added to the operative gas to accelerate the reduction of alumina or magnesia.

An alumina- or magnesia-reducing process in which a greenhouse gas or substance harmful to the human body is not emitted, which can achieve improved energy efficiency in comparison with the Hall-Heroult or Pidgeon methods. The process includes: introducing an alumina or magnesia powder with a carrier gas to the upstream side of a throat provided on a reducing unit; pressure-transferring the powder and carrier gas to the throat by an operative gas introduced to the upstream side of the throat; irradiating the throat with a laser beam to convert the alumina or magnesia into a plasma state and dissociate the alumina or magnesia thermally; jetting the thermally dissociated product through a nozzle provided on the downstream side of the throat at a supersonic speed to form a frozen flow; and isolating aluminum or magnesium. Hydrogen may be added to the operative gas to accelerate the reduction of alumina or magnesia.

A method of reducing entrained aluminum oxides in aluminum castings. The method comprises preheating a furnace charge to remove moisture and contaminants. The furnace charge is then coated on all free surfaces with a layer of flux. Subsequently the furnace charge is melted in a furnace to form a melt bath of liquid aluminum suitable for casting. The flux layer removes the naturally occurring oxide film from the furnace charge surface as well as provides a cover flux to protect the melt bath from oxidation.