NOVELTY - Obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder (102), comprises: separating a silicon powder from slurry; treating the separated silicon powder with acid treatment, vacuum melting, magnetic separation and/or drying; contacting the treated silicon powder with a solvent metal; melting the silicon under submersion by feeding the silicon powder into a vortex within the solvent metal; contacting the obtained first molten liquid (110) with a first gas; separating the obtained dross (118) and the second molten liquid (114); and cooling the second molten liquid approximately homogenously.    USE - The process is useful for obtaining silicon crystals, which is useful to make solar cells (claimed) and as a starting product in various applications.    ADVANTAGE - The process: provides high purified silicon crystals in an economical manner; minimizes or eliminates the reaction with oxygen; and uses less energy resources (e.g. up to 90% less electricity).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder (102), comprises: (a) separating a silicon powder from a slurry; (b) treating the separated silicon powder by acid treatment, vacuum melting, magnetic separation and/or drying; (c) contacting the treated silicon powder with a solvent metal, to provide a mixture containing silicon; (d) 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); (e) contacting the first molten liquid with a first gas, to provide dross and a second molten liquid (114); (f) separating the dross (118) and the second molten liquid; and (g) cooling the second molten liquid approximately homogenously to provide fractional crystallization to form first silicon crystals and a first mother liquid (124).    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a block flow diagram of a method of obtaining silicon crystals from silicon powder.    Silicon powder (102)    First molten liquid (110)    Second molten liquid (114)    Dross (118)    First mother liquid. (124)