Spedding process

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Spedding process

metallurgy

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thorium processing
Reduction to the metal
…metal is obtained by the Spedding process, in which powdered ThF₄ is mixed with finely divided calcium (Ca) and a zinc halide (either zinc chloride or zinc fluoride) and placed in a sealed, refractory-lined “bomb.” Upon heating to approximately 650 °C (1,200 °F), an exothermic reaction ensues that reduces the…
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…metal is obtained by the Spedding process, in which powdered ThF₄ is mixed with finely divided calcium (Ca) and a zinc halide (either zinc chloride or zinc fluoride) and placed in a sealed, refractory-lined “bomb.” Upon heating to approximately 650 °C (1,200 °F), an exothermic reaction ensues that reduces the…
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Frank Harold Spedding
…the 1940s and ’50s, developed processes for reducing individual rare-earth elements to the metallic state at low cost, thereby making these substances available to industry at reasonable prices. He also helped to purify the uranium used in 1942 for the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction experiment.
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…the 1940s and ’50s, developed processes for reducing individual rare-earth elements to the metallic state at low cost, thereby making these substances available to industry at reasonable prices. He also helped to purify the uranium used in 1942 for the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction experiment.
Read More