An electrolytic production technique based on the electrochemical reduction of zirconium oxide was developed. Various factors affecting the reduction process were investigated. These factors include the cell voltage, the electrolysis time, the composition of the molten bath, and the temperature of the bath. The novel cell design succeeded in the production of zirconium powder or sponge with less than 400 ppm oxygen in a semicontinuous manner.
An economically important rare -metal mineralization is recorded in the pegmatite bodies of Gabal Ras Baroud younger granitic pluton, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. These pegmatite bodies are of variable size and are compositionally zoned. Radiometric measurements of some anomalous pegmatite samples show that their equivalent uranium (eU) content is 219 -328 ppm, whereas their equivalent thorium (eTh) content is 783 -1101 ppm. On the other hand, the analysis of several separated mineral grains of some pegmatite samples using a scanning electron microscope and X -ray diffraction revealed the presence of several economic minerals. These minerals include zircon, thorite, phlogopite mica, and columbite, in addition to the samarskite -Y mineral. Thorite was found as numerous inclusions of variable size and pattern in zircon. Electron microprobe analysis confirmed the presence of samarskite -Y whose composition corresponds to the empirical formula [(Y 0.49
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