Process for the preparation of alloys

Claim 1

A ONE-STEP PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF AN ALLOY, WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AN OXIDE OF AT LEAST ONE REFRACTORY METAL WITH AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF REDUCING METAL ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID REDUCING METAL, WHEREBY SAID REFACTORY METAL OXIDE IS REDUCED TO THE METALLIC STATE AND A SLAG-FORMING OXIDE IS REDUCED TO THE METAL IS FORMED, SAID REACTION BEING CARRIED OUT IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AMOUNT OF MOLTEN NON-REACTING METAL CAPABLE OF ALLOYING WITH SAID REFRACTORY METAL AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A MOLTEN SALT SOLVENT CAPABLE OF DISSOLVING THE SLAG-COMPRISING REDUCING METAL OXIDE FORMED DURING THE REACTION, SAID REDUCING METAL HAVING A LOWER POSITION IN THE ELECTROMOTIVE SERIES AT THE REACTION TEMPERATURE THAN SAID REFRACTORY METAL, AND SAID MOLTEN SALT SOLVENT BEING PRESENT IN AN EXCESS SUFFICIENT TO DISSOLVE SAID SLAG FORMED BY SAID REDUCING METAL OXIDE.