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 purified magnesium consisting essentially of:
 greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium; and   incidental impurities.   
     
     
         2 . The purified magnesium of  claim 1 , consisting essentially of:
 greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium; and   no more than 0.10 weight percent of other elements.   
     
     
         3 . The purified magnesium of  claim 2 , consisting 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.   
     
     
         4 . The purified magnesium of  claim 1 , consisting of:
 greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium; and   incidental impurities.   
     
     
         5 . The purified magnesium of  claim 1 , consisting 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.   
     
     
         6 . The purified magnesium of  claim 1 , consisting essentially of:
 greater than 1000 up to 3000 ppm zirconium;   magnesium;   0 to 0.007 aluminum;   0 to 0.0001 boron;   0 to 0.002 cadmium;   0 to 0.01 hafnium;   0 to 0.06 iron;   0 to 0.01 manganese;   0 to 0.005 nitrogen;   0 to 0.005 phosphorus;   0 to 0.02 titanium;   0 to 0.006 silicon;   0 to 0.005 copper;   0 to 0.002 nickel;   0 to 0.008 calcium;   0 to 0.006 tin;   0 to 0.006 lead; and   0 to 0.015 sodium.