A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700° C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.

A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700° C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.

A method for producing boehmite under atmospheric pressure may include producing a sodium aluminate solution by dissolving sodium aluminate in water. The method may further include producing an aluminum hydroxide gel by mixing a hydrochloric acid solution with the sodium aluminate solution. The method may further include producing an aluminum chloride solution by mixing a hydrochloric acid solution with the aluminum hydroxide gel. The method may further include producing saturated aluminum chloride solution by heating the aluminum chloride solution. The method may further include producing a boehmite gel by mixing an ammonia solution with the saturated aluminum chloride solution and heating the boehmite gel to produce boehmite.

A method for producing boehmite under atmospheric pressure may include producing a sodium aluminate solution by dissolving sodium aluminate in water. The method may further include producing an aluminum hydroxide gel by mixing a hydrochloric acid solution with the sodium aluminate solution. The method may further include producing an aluminum chloride solution by mixing a hydrochloric acid solution with the aluminum hydroxide gel. The method may further include producing saturated aluminum chloride solution by heating the aluminum chloride solution. The method may further include producing a boehmite gel by mixing an ammonia solution with the saturated aluminum chloride solution and heating the boehmite gel to produce boehmite.

A method for producing metal chloride Mx+Clx? includes reacting metal carbonate in solid form using phosgene, diphosgene and/or triphosgene to form metal chloride Mx+Clx?, wherein the metal M is selected from the group containing alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, Al and Zn, Li and Mg, or Li, for example, and x corresponds to the valency of the metal cations. An apparatus for performing such method is also disclosed.

A method for producing metal chloride Mx+Clx? includes reacting metal carbonate in solid form using phosgene, diphosgene and/or triphosgene to form metal chloride Mx+Clx?, wherein the metal M is selected from the group containing alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, Al and Zn, Li and Mg, or Li, for example, and x corresponds to the valency of the metal cations. An apparatus for performing such method is also disclosed.

A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700 C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.

A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700 C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.

A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700 C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.

A carbo-chlorination process is disclosed for selectively producing AlCl.sub.3 from an alumina-containing feedstock, comprising introducing the following into a fluidized bed reactor maintained at 600-700 C.: (a) dried and calcined feed stream comprising the alumina-containing feedstock and a carbon feed; (b) chlorinating agent; (c) selectivity agent; (d) dried air; and optionally (e) off-spec AlCl.sub.3. The process further includes removing a vapor stream from the reactor in which preferably about 75-80%, of the alumina present in the reactor is converted to AlCl.sub.3; and also removing a solid raw pozzolan stream from the reactor, wherein about 90-99% of the silica present in the reactor remains unconverted and exits the reactor through the solid raw pozzolan stream. The vapor stream comprising AlCl.sub.3 is purified to create an AlCl.sub.3 product stream comprising preferably greater than about 99.99% AlCl.sub.3. The raw pozzolan product is classified to remove coke and create a final pozzolan product having a strength activity index (SAI) in the range of 80-160, per ASTM 618.