TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The areal supply rate is at least 10, preferably 12 or more kg/minute/m2 of bath surface. The contacting and the separating steps are performed simultaneously, by operating them at a temperature above the boiling point of zinc-chloride, which evaporates. During the purification step, the temperature is raised above the melting point of Si, by forming purified liquid Si. The purification step is performed at reduced pressure or under vacuum. The process further comprises: subjecting the separated zinc-chloride to molten salt electrolysis, to recover Zn and chlorine; recycling the Zn to the SiCl4 reduction step; and recycling the chlorine to a Si chlorination process for the production of SiCl4. The Zn that is vaporized in the purification step is condensed and recycled to the SiCl4 converting process. The fraction of SiCl4 that exits the contacting step unreacted is recycled to the SiCl4 converting process. The process comprises: a single solidification step of the purified liquid Si, using a method comprising crystal pulling, directional solidification or ribbon growth; the granulation of the purified liquid Si; feeding the granules to a melting furnace; and applying a single solidification step, using the method. The solid material is wafered and further processed to solar cells. EXAMPLE - Metallic zinc (700 kg) was heated to 850 degrees C in a graphite reactor placed in an induction furnace. The height of the bath was 50 cm and its diameter was 50 cm. A peristaltic pump was used to transport silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) (boiling point: 58 degrees C) into an evaporator. The gaseous SiCl4 was then bubbled through the zinc bath via a quartz tube. The SiCl4 flow was ca. 150 kg/hour, and the total amount added was 450 kg. The flow rate corresponds to 12.7 kg/minute per m2 of bath surface. The quantity of SiCl4 supplied was 0.137 mole%/mole.minute of the initial number of moles of zinc (Zn). Si-Zn dross layer was rapidly formed on top of the bath. The zinc chloride (ZnCl2) formed during the reaction was evaporated and condensed in a silicon carbide 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 phase was obtained, with a total Si content of 16.7%. This phase was heated up progressively to evaporate the Zn, which was condensed in a separate vessel. The temperature was increased up to 1450 degrees C and maintained at this level for 1 hour. The molten silicon was then cast into a quartz vessel and allowed to solidify to room temperature. Metallic silicon (66 kg) was collected. The Si reaction yield was 88%. The obtained silicon contains less than boron (5 ppb), phosphorus (0.05 ppm), aluminum (0.2 ppm) and total metallic impurities (0.3 ppm). The Zn was below 50 ppb.