Abstract: In the melting of one or successive alloy charges including one or more volatile alloying elements, each alloy charge is melted in a melting vessel under an inert gas partial pressure effective to reduce volatilization, migration and condensation of the volatile alloying elements and build-up of condensate deposits of the volatile elements on cool regions of the melting vessel and melting chamber where the deposits constitute inclusion precursors that can eventually enter successive charges melted in the vessel. Wetting of the crucible by the melt is also reduced by the gas partial pressure. The incidence of inclusions found in castings produced from the successive melts is thereby reduced.