Abstract: Shoes for horses are fabricated from a plastic material which is reinforced by kinked metal wire. The shoes are lightweight, readily formable, have good wear properties and are much easier on the horse than metal shoes. The reinforced plastic material is also useful for fabrication of hoof pads.

Abstract: Waste materials containing metal oxides and/or metals and their salts are converted to useful products. The waste materials are combined in such proportions that when heated, they form a composite that becomes molten and pourable at temperatures below about 1600.degree. C. Provision is also made for converting some of the metal oxides in the molten material to free metal which is then separated from the molten material. A modified cupola can be used to generate the temperature and reducing conditions suitable for carrying out the process.

Abstract: Titanium and titanium alloy substrates are provided with a dense coating of a titanium silicide. The titanium silicide coating substantially increases the oxidation resistance of the substrate. The siliciding method includes the steps of: Forming a substantially molten pool of a siliciding alloy; contacting the substrate with the siliciding alloy; maintaining the substrate in contact with the siliciding alloy at a temperature at or above a minimum predetermined temperature to form a titanium silicide coating on the substrate; and separating the coated substrate from the siliciding alloy. The siliciding alloy includes a minimum effective concentration of silicon and a lithium metal flux.