The lab-scale process described here forms near-spherical, mm-sized Si shot via solidification from the melt in a short vertical height. Liquid silicon is pressure ejected through quartz or high-density graphite nozzles to form a laminar stream of liquid, which breaks up by the Rayleigh instability. A circulating water bath located 10-20 cm below the nozzle cools the droplets and moves the solid shot away from the impact region. Si shot in the size range 1-4 mm has been produced. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.