Intermediate size secondary to metal thermal reduction process the oxide or halide of a reactive metal under the reduced metal (grain size) is less than 10 ㎛ a metal powder containing or containing at least one reactive metal zirconium, titanium or hafnium, or an alloy powder as a method for the production and apparatus, the metal powder or alloy powder is becoming insensitive by the addition of a passivating (passivating) gas or gas mixture after reduction during and / or reduction of the oxide or halide (or) the oxide or halogen before the reduction of the cargo screen is insensitive to the addition of passivating solid, the method and apparatus and the reduction is carried out in a reaction vessel that can be deaerated solely confidentiality all the insensitive screen is disclosed.