text: In the Kroll process, the TiCl is reduced by liquid magnesium to give titanium metal:
  The reduction is conducted at 800–850 °C in a stainless steel retort. Complications result from partial reduction of the TiCl, giving to the lower chlorides TiCl and TiCl.  The MgCl can be further refined back to magnesium.    The resulting porous metallic titanium sponge is purified by leaching or vacuum distillation. The sponge is crushed, and pressed before it is melted in a consumable carbon electrode vacuum arc furnace.  The melted ingot is allowed to solidify under vacuum.  It is often remelted to remove inclusions and ensure uniformity.  These melting steps add to the cost of the product.  Titanium is about six times as expensive as stainless steel.
  In the earlier Hunter process, which ceased to be commercial in the 1990s, the TiCl from the chloride process is reduced to the metal by sodium.