Patent ID: 7918985

Claim:
A method of reducing a titanium oxide in a solid state in an electrolytic cell which includes an anode, a cathode formed at least in-part from the titanium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide, said method includes: operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which cations of the metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide deposit as the metal on the cathode, whereby the metal chemically reduces the cathode titanium oxide, and refreshing the electrolyte within the cell and changing the cell potential of the cell in later stages of the operation of the cell as required having regard to reactions occurring in the cell and a concentration of oxygen in the titanium oxide in the cell in order to produce high purity titanium (αTi).