The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of

Davis E Traut

Jack C White

Laurance L Oden

Dennis A Hansen

George T Fisher, Ii

Roman A Schmitt

A method of quantitatively determining the molten pool configuration in melting of metals. The method includes the steps of introducing hafnium metal seeds into a molten metal pool at intervals to form ingots, neutron activating the ingots and determining the hafnium location by radiometric means. Hafnium possesses exactly the proper metallurgical and radiochemical properties for this use.

Method for the melting of metals

A method of determining the location and history of metallic nitride and/or oxynitride inclusions in metallic melts. The method includes the steps of labeling metallic nitride and/or oxynitride inclusions by making a coreduced metallic-hafnium sponge from a mixture of hafnium chloride and the chloride of a metal, reducing the mixed chlorides with magnesium, nitriding the hafnium-labeled metallic-hafnium sponge, and seeding the sponge to be melted with hafnium-labeled nitride inclusions. The ingots are neutron activated and the hafnium is located by radiometric means. Hafnium possesses exactly the proper metallurgical and radiochemical properties for this use.

Method for locating metallic nitride inclusions in metallic alloy ingots

A continuous method is provided for purifying and recovering transition metals such as neodymium and zirconium that become reactive at temperatures above about 500.degree. C. that comprises the steps of contacting the metal ore with an appropriate fluorinating agent such as an alkaline earth metal fluosilicate to form a fluometallic compound, and reducing the fluometallic compound with a suitable alkaline earth or alkali metal compound under molten conditions, such as provided in an induction slag metal furnace. The method of the invention is advantageous in that it is simpler and less expensive than methods used previously to recover pure metals, and it may be employed with a wide range of transition metals that were reactive with enclosures used in the prior art methods and were hard to obtain in uncontaminated form.

Induction slag reduction process for purifying metals

Continuous process for preparing titanium comprising fluorinating titanium ore, and reducing the formed alkaline earth fluotitanate with an alkaline earth metal in an induction slag reactor.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Davis E Traut