NOVELTY - Process (I) for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder (102) comprises contacting silicon powder with solvent metal, melting silicon, contacting first molten liquid (110) with first gas, separating dross and second molten liquid (114); cooling second molten liquid, separating first silicon crystals and first mother liquid (124), melting first silicon crystals, contacting first molten bath with second gas, directionally solidifying first molten bath (136), heating second silicon crystals and directionally solidifying second molten bath to provide purified silicon.    USE - The processes are useful for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder, where the purified silicon is useful to make solar cells (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The processes: eliminate expensive and complicated steps in purifying silicon e.g. using vacuums and an inert gas atmosphere; provide silicon having a purity level approaching that of an electronics grade polysilicon or surpassing that of a upgraded metallurgical grade silicon source; uses less energy resources e.g. up to 90% less electricity than those manufacturing processes that provide for a purified silicon from metallurgical grade silicon as the sole silicon source; and provide the recovery and recycling of a highly desired product from waste material.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Process (I) for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder (102), comprises: contacting silicon powder with a solvent metal to provide a mixture containing silicon, where the solvent metal is silicon, molten silicon, copper, tin, zinc, antimony, silver, bismuth, aluminum, cadmium, gallium, indium, magnesium, lead and/or their alloy; melting the silicon under submersion by feeding the silicon powder into a vortex within the solvent metal using a rotary degasser, rotary furnace, molten metal pump or induction currents to provide a first molten liquid (110); contacting the first molten liquid with a first gas to provide dross and a second molten liquid (114); separating the dross and the second molten liquid; cooling the second molten liquid approximately homogenously to provide fractional crystallization to form first silicon crystals and a first mother liquid (124); separating the first silicon crystals and the first mother liquid; melting the first silicon crystals, to provide a first molten bath (136); contacting the first molten bath with a second gas, where the second gas comprises oxygen, water, a hydrogen and/or inert gas mixture; directionally solidifying the first molten bath to provide second silicon crystals; heating the second silicon crystals to provide a second molten bath; and directionally solidifying the second molten bath to provide purified silicon. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a process (II) for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder, comprising: contacting silicon powder with the solvent metal; melting the silicon under submersion to provide the first molten liquid; contacting the first molten liquid with an initial gas; contacting the first molten liquid with te first gas to provide dross and the second molten liquid; separating the dross and the second molten liquid; cooling the second molten liquid approximately homogenously to provide fractional crystallization to form first silicon crystals and the first mother liquid; separating the first silicon crystals and the first mother liquid; melting the first silicon crystals to provide a first molten bath; contacting the first molten bath with the second gas; directionally solidifying the first molten bath to provide second silicon crystals; heating the second silicon crystals to provide a second molten bath; and directionally solidifying the second molten bath to provide purified silicon.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows the block flow diagram of the process of obtaining purified silicon crystals from silicon powder.    Silicon powder (102)    First molten liquid (110)    Dross and second molten liquid (114)    Silicon crystals and first mother liquid (124)    First molten bath (136)