Methods for reducing impurities in magnesium, purified magnesium, and zirconium metal production methods

Abstract

A method for reducing impurities in magnesium comprises: combining a zirconium-containing material with a molten low-impurity magnesium including no more than 1.0 weight percent of total impurities in a vessel to provide a mixture; holding the mixture in a molten state for a period of time sufficient to allow at least a portion of the zirconium-containing material to react with at least a portion of the impurities and form intermetallic compounds; and separating at least a portion of the molten magnesium in the mixture from at least a portion of the intermetallic compounds to provide a purified magnesium, wherein the purified magnesium includes an increased level of zirconium compared to the low-impurity magnesium, wherein the purified magnesium includes greater than 1000 ppm zirconium, and wherein the purified magnesium includes a reduced level of impurities other than zirconium compared to the low-impurity magnesium. A purified magnesium including at least 1000 ppm zirconium and methods for producing zirconium metal using magnesium reductant also are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing zirconium metal, the method comprising:
 reacting zirconium tetrachloride with magnesium reductant comprising greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium to provide reaction products comprising zirconium metal and magnesium chloride salt; and   separating at least a portion of the zirconium metal from the reaction products.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium reductant consists essentially of:
 greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium;   0 to 0.007 weight percent aluminum;   0 to 0.0001 weight percent boron;   0 to 0.002 weight percent cadmium;   0 to 0.01 weight percent hafnium;   0 to 0.06 weight percent iron;   0 to 0.01 weight percent manganese;   0 to 0.005 weight percent nitrogen;   0 to 0.005 weight percent phosphorus; and   0 to 0.02 weight percent titanium.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium reductant consists of:
 1000 to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium; and   incidental impurities.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnesium reductant consists of:
 1000 to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium;   0 to 0.007 weight percent aluminum;   0 to 0.0001 weight percent boron;   0 to 0.002 weight percent cadmium;   0 to 0.01 weight percent hafnium;   0 to 0.06 weight percent iron;   0 to 0.01 weight percent manganese;   0 to 0.005 weight percent nitrogen;   0 to 0.005 weight percent phosphorus; and   0 to 0.02 weight percent titanium.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reacting zirconium tetrachloride with magnesium reductant to provide reaction products comprises melting the magnesium reductant in a first chamber and subliming the zirconium tetrachloride in a second chamber, and allowing zirconium tetrachloride vapors to contact and react with the molten magnesium and produce the reaction products. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction products comprise a layer consisting primarily of zirconium metal and a layer consisting primarily of magnesium chloride salt, and further wherein the two layers are separated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the separated layer consisting primarily of zirconium metal is distilled under vacuum to remove residual salt, and the zirconium product is zirconium sponge including porosity from vacancies left by removed magnesium chloride.