A treatment apparatus (10) includes a liquid reactant metal containment
vessel (11) for containing a first liquid reactant metal and isolating the
reactant metal from the atmosphere. A release chamber (14) is adapted to
receive the first liquid reactant metal from the containment vessel (11)
and a submerging arrangement (21) is adapted to dunk or submerge a container
(46) of feed material into the liquid reactant metal and move the container
to a release location within the release chamber (14). Relatively light
materials rising from the submerged container (46), including unreacted
feed material, intermediate reaction products, and perhaps final reaction products
collect in a collection area (60) having an upper surface defined by an
upper surface of the release chamber (14). A treatment arrangement included
in the apparatus places the fluids collected in the collection area (60)
in contact with the first liquid reactant metal or a second liquid reactant metal
for a sufficient period of time to effect the desired reduction reactions.