Technical Papers and Notes - Extractive Metallurgy Division - The Effect of Additions on the Exchange of Chlorine between Calcium Chloride and Metal Oxides

Metal chlorides were formed by reacting metal oxides and calcium chloride; the effect of additions to the reaction mixture was studied. It was found that by use of proper additions, metal chlorides could be prepared from mixtures that were not reactive under ordinary conditions. ManY recent metallurgical developments involve the use of chlorine or chlorides as primary reagents; good examples are found in the production of ductile zirconium and titanium by reduction of their chlorides with magnesium. Various methods of preparing metal chlorides are used and many others have been proposed. Some chlorides are formed by the direct combination of a metal or alloy with chlorine. Other processes react chlorine and metallic oxides; carbon or other reducing agents are usually employed to reduce the metal oxides and so promote chlorination. Metallic chlorides have also been produced by the exchange of chlorine between metal oxides and a chloride, such as sodium chloride. This type of reaction was the basis for the old process of chloride roasting in which metal ores were roasted in the presence of salt. Soluble chlorides thus formed