Abstract: The invention relates to Proteobacteria that show unusually high level resistance to a wide range of metal oxides and oxyanions and to methods using selected subgroups for efficient reduction of certain metal oxides and oxyanions to the free metal. High level resistance was shown to be affected by growth conditions, and was observed in facultative photoheterotrophs such as Rhodobacter sphaeroides grown either chemoheterotrophically or photoheterotrophically.

Abstract: In situ formation of metal-ceramic oxide microstructures is carried out on a starting oxide phase containing at least a most noble metallic component (e.g., iron) and a least noble metallic component (e.g. manganese) and subjecting the starting oxide phase to a temperature and oxygen partial pressure and for a time period to cause reduction of only part of the most noble metallic component to elemental metal.

Abstract: A method of successfully disposing of, or recycling, waste metals comprising placing the waste metals in an aluminum container, placing the container in a crucible containing a mixture of powdered aluminum and iron oxide, initiating a self-sustaining reaction between the oxide and the metal that oxidizes the aluminum and reduces the iron and heats the contents of the crucible to 4,000.degree. F. or higher to melt the waste metals and the iron and produce an ingot of the iron and the metal from the sharps and aluminum oxide slag, and trapping the heat and reaction products above the crucible with a hood of refractory material which covers the crucible and is sealed by partial immersion in loosely packed sand. The hood enables complete containment and incineration of the reaction products. The ingot and the slag can be recycled.

Abstract: A method for processing ash residues and other solide combustion products, derived from combustion of waste materials in furnaces whereby the ash and other combustion products are gradually supplied in a continuous manner into the high side of a glaze-kiln, showing a sloping course, which is heated from its lower side, and are fused and glazed in a continuously proceeding process at high temperatures and a glaze-kiln, useful in this method.

Abstract: A process for enhancing fluidization in a fluidized bed reactor chamber. In a preferred embodiment, molybdenum oxide is reduced to molybdenum metal in the fluidized bed. An oxidant is introduced into the fluidized bed during the reducing process in order to substantially prevent or reverse the agglomeration of the particles.