Abstract: A device is provided for separating, or dividing, mixtures of at least partially molten metals and/or metal compounds into at least two phases of different density. Said device comprises a centrifugal drum having supply means for the molten mixture in one end wall of the drum and at least one outlet opening for each of said phases in the region of the opposite end wall of the drum, the outlet opening, or openings, for a phase of greater density being disposed at a greater distance from the axis of rotation of the drum than the outlet opening, or openings, for a phase of less density.

Abstract: Starting materials continuously charged into a cyclone reactor are continuously discharged in molten state into a flow-through buffer hearth chamber from which the gases are withdrawn, the molten materials flowing continuously as received at one end of a relatively short flow area along the bottom of the chamber toward the opposite end of the chamber from which the molten materials are continuously discharged downwardly into the top of an upright axis centrifugal separator in which the materials are centrifugally separated into a metallic phase and a slag phase and respectively discharged through exits at the lower end of the separator and offset from the axis of the separator and radially spaced from each other.