Patent ID: 7323134

Claim:
A method of forming an inert anode comprising: (a) providing a compressible hollow inert anode shaped mold having a closed bottom and an opening at the top; (b) inserting a metal mandrel into the center of the hollow inert anode shaped mold and adding compressible powder, into the hollow between the mandrel and the mold, so that the powder surrounds and contacts the bottom and sides of the outside of the mandrel and the inside of the mold, said compressible powder being suitable for use as an inert anode, where the mandrel has raised male threads located around its top outside diameter near the opening of the inert anode shaped mold and a top exterior portion not contacting the powder; (c) compressing the powder and inert anode shaped mold causing the powder to compress against the mandrel to form recessed female grooves in the powder, matching the mandrel male threads and engaging the compressed powder to the mandrel forming a green inert anode; (d) vertically withdrawing the mandrel and the green inert anode so that both are removed from the mold; (e) gripping the outside diameter of the green inert anode and rotating the metal mandrel to unscrew the metal mandrel from the green inert anode; (f) firing the green inert anode at a temperature of between about 1300° C. and 1600° to produce a fired inert anode; (g) fitting the fired inert anode with a pin conductor; and (h) using the fired inert anode to produce aluminum metal in an aluminum metal electrolysis cell, wherein during the using step, electricity flows from the pin conductor, through the inert anode and into a bath of the aluminum electrolysis cell.