This invention relates to a method for electrowinning of titanium metal or
titanium alloys from electrically conductive titanium mixed oxide
compounds in the liquid state such as molten titania slag, molten
ilmenite, molten leucoxene, molten perowskite, molten titanite, molten
natural or synthetic rutile or molten titanium dioxide. The method
involves providing the conductive titanium oxide compound at temperatures
corresponding to the liquid state, pouring the molten material into an
electrochemical reactor to form a pool of electrically conductive liquid
acting as cathode material, covering the cathode material with a layer of
electrolyte, such as molten salts or a solid state ionic conductor,
deoxidizing electrochemically the molten cathode by direct current
electrolysis. Preferably, the deoxidizing step is performed at high
temperature using either a consumable carbon anode or an inert
dimensionally stable anode or a gas diffusion anode. During the
electrochemical reduction, droplets of liquid titanium metal or titanium
alloy are produced at the slag/electrolyte interface and sink by gravity
settling to the bottom of the electrochemical reactor forming, after
coalescence, a pool of liquid titanium metal or titanium alloy. Meanwhile
carbon dioxide or oxygen gas is evolved at the anode. The liquid metal is
continuously siphoned or tapped under an inert atmosphere and cast into
dense and coherent titanium metal or titanium alloy ingots.