Aluminothermic Reactive Vacuum Distillation, Absorption, Stripping, and Leaching for Metal and Alloy Production

In accordance with one embodiment, a method comprises dissolving a sulfide of a first metal in a solvent comprising molten aluminum; aluminothermically reduce at least a portion of the sulfide through reactive vacuum distillation to form gaseous aluminum sulfide distillate and elemental first metal that remains in the molten aluminum; and at least one of (e.g., one, two, or all three of) (a) reacting the aluminum sulfide distillate with at least one material in the molten aluminum; (b) reacting the aluminum sulfide distillate with at least one material outside of the molten aluminum; or (c) condensing the gaseous aluminum sulfide distillate.