TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The contacting and separating steps are preferably performed simultaneously, by operating above the boiling point of zinc chloride. The Si-bearing metal phase contains at least part of the silicon in the solid state. The Si-bearing metal phase is preferably cooled to 420- 600 degreesC, before the purification step, thereby converting at least part of the silicon present as a solute in the Si-bearing metal phase to the solid state. The silicon present in the solid state is separated, forming the Si-bearing metal phase that is further processed in the purification step. Silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) is blown into a bath comprising molten zinc, at a flow rate adapted to limit the loss of silicon by entrainment with evaporating zinc-chloride to less than 15%. The flow rate of SiCl4 is lower than 0.8 kg/min per m2 of bath surface. The purification step is performed at a temperature above the melting point of Si and at reduced pressure or under vacuum, thereby forming purified liquid silicon. The process further comprising:(1) subjecting the separated Zn-chloride to molten salt electrolysis, thereby recovering zinc and chlorine;(2) recycling the zinc to the SiCl4 reduction step; and -(3) recycling the chlorine to a silicon chlorination process for the production of SiCl4.The zinc that is vaporised in the purification step, is condensed and recycled to the SiCl4 converting process. The fraction of un-reacted SiCl4 is recycled to the SiCl4 converting process. The purified liquid silicon is solidified using crystal pulling, directional solidification and ribbon growth method. The purified liquid silicon is further granulated and fed to a melting furnace. The solid material is wafered and further processed to solar cells. EXAMPLE - 4192 g of metallic Zn was heated to 850degreesC in a graphite reactor. A Minipuls (RTM: peristaltic pump) was used to introduce SiCl4 in the reactor via a quartz tube. The immersed extremity of the tube was fitted with a porous plug made of alumino-silicate. The SiCl4, which had a boiling point of 58 degreesC, vaporised in the immersed section of the tube and was dispersed as a gas in the liquid zinc. The SiCl4 flow was ca. 150 g/h, and the total amount added was 1625 g. The flow rate corresponded to 0.65 kg/min per m2 of bath surface. The ZnCl2, which was formed during the reaction, evaporated and was condensed in a graphite tube connected to the reactor and was collected in a separate vessel. Any un-reacted SiCl4 was collected in a wet scrubber connected to the ZnCl2 vessel. A Zn-Si alloy, saturated in silicon at the prevalent reactor temperature and containing additional solid particles of silicon, was obtained. The total silicon content of the mixture was 9%. The amount of SiCl4 added was increased, at the same flow-rate of 150 g/h, to increase the amount of solid silicon in the Zn-Si alloy. This Zn-Si alloy containing solid silicon was heated to 1500degreesC to evaporate the zinc, which was condensed and recovered. The silicon was then allowed to cool down to room temperature, 229 g of silicon was recovered.