Patent ID: 7758740

Claim:
A process for electrochemically reducing metal oxide powders and/or pellets in an electrolytic cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, the cathode being in the form of a member having an upper surface for supporting metal oxide powders and/or pellets that is horizontally disposed or slightly inclined and has a forward end and a rearward end and is immersed in the electrolyte bath and is supported for movement so as to cause metal oxide powders and/or pellets on the upper surface of the cathode to move toward the forward end of the member, which process includes the steps of: a. applying a cell potential across the anode and the cathode that is capable of electrochemically reducing metal oxide supplied to the molten electrolyte bath, b. continuously or semi-continuously feeding metal oxide powders and/or pellets into the molten electrolyte bath so that the powders and/or pellets deposit on an upper surface of the cathode, c. causing metal oxide powders and/or pellets to move over the upper surface of the cathode toward the forward end of the cathode while in contact with molten electrolyte whereby electrochemical reduction of the metal oxide to metal occurs as the powders and/or pellets move toward the forward end, and d. continuously or semi-continuously removing at least partially electrochemically reduced metal oxide powders and/or pellets from the molten electrolyte bath.