Abstract: A method is disclosed for preventing the condensation of aluminum chloride (AlCl.sub.3) in a fractional distillation column which is operated to separate a fraction which does not include AlCl.sub.3 from a mixture containing AlCl.sub.3 and other metal chlorides and which is operated at temperatures which include the sublimation or melting points of AlCl.sub.3 at the operating pressure of the column. According to this method, titanium tetrachloride (TiCl.sub.4) is maintained in the column in an amount at least as great, by weight, as the amount of AlCl.sub.3 contained in the mixture.

Abstract: Aluminous material is chlorinated in the presence of a reducing agent at pressures greater than three atmospheres. A greater than linear increase in reaction rate obtained at superatmospheric pressures is a feature of the chlorination reaction which is employed to increase aluminum chloride production rate. Choice of pressure used is governed more by mechanical limitations than by an upper limit inherent to the chemical reaction.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing aluminum or compounds thereof causing a short circuit in an electrolytic cell containing aluminum chloride dissolved in a molten solvent of higher decomposition potential, the cell used for the production of aluminum from aluminum chloride and having a terminal anode and cathode providing an inter-electrode space therebetween. The method comprises removing aluminum chloride and molten solvent from the cell to an extent which exposes the materials in the inter-electrode space causing the short circuit, introducing a source of chlorinating agent to the cell and contacting the materials causing the short circuit with the chlorinating agent to form aluminum chloride, the contacting being for a time sufficient to remove the short circuit thereby permitting the addition of the aluminum chloride and solvent and the electrolysis thereof for the production of aluminum.

Abstract: Aluminum chloride is produced from clay containing aluminum oxide and silicon oxide by chlorinating the clay through contact with a mixture consisting essentially of a chlorinating agent, a reducing agent, an alkali metal compound catalyst, and silicon chloride; and thereafter separating the reaction products from the chlorination step; and recycling back to the chlorination step substantially all the silicon chloride separated from the reaction products to thereby promote the chlorination of the aluminum oxide in the clay while suppressing chlorination of the silicon oxide.

Abstract: The production of aluminum chloride from a source material containing both aluminum compounds and silicon compounds such as for example clay is improved by selective use of source materials having a surface area of at least 15 meter.sup.2 /gram; comminution of the source material after dehydration to a particle size of not greater than 0.6 mm (millimeters); and chlorinating the comminuted source material in the presence of a gaseous reducing agent at a temperature of at least 600.degree. C but less than 700.degree. C. This not only improves the rate of chlorination and improves the percentage of aluminum oxide converted to aluminum chloride but also improves the ratio of aluminum chloride to silicon chloride produced, thus producing less silicon chloride byproduct which otherwise must be recirculated to the chlorination reactor or otherwise disposed of.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for producing aluminum chloride by contacting aluminum oxide, a reducing agent, and chlorine in a molten bath of aluminum chloride and metal halide to form aluminum chloride which is recovered from the bath by sublimation. The improvement comprises increasing the rate of formation of aluminum chloride by adding a source of metal selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, copper, europium and cerium to the molten bath.