A process for producing high-purity silicon for solar cells continuously directly from inexpensive silicon containing a comparatively large amount of impurities. This process comprises melting continuously supplied raw material silicon in a bottomless crucible placed in an induction coil, while blowing a hot plasma gas incorporated with an oxygen-containing substance on the surface of the melt for purification, and continuously discharging the solidified silicon downward from said bottomless crucible, with at least an axial part of said bottomless crucible being divided into a plurality of electrically conductive pieces spaced circumferentially.