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.

Abstract: The crucible includes an upstanding sidewall formed of a plurality of internally cooled, metal segments arranged in side-by side relation to form a crucible chamber for receiving the metal to be melted. The segments are separated from one another by longitudinal gaps that communicate on the inside with the crucible chamber and extend outwardly to the exterior of the sidewall. The gaps are free of packing material that could constitute a potential source of melt contamination and are so sized in a width dimension where the gap and the chamber communicate as to substantially prevent penetration of molten metal into the gaps when the metal charge is initially melted in the crucible chamber prior to the development of a solidified metal skull. Upper portions of the crucible segments are restrained against outward spreading during use to provide a crucible durable enough for use in production melting applications. The crucible eliminates the need for a CaF.sub.