Installation and process for the electrolytic dissolution of a metal by oxidation

摘要

Electrolytic metal dissolution apparatus has an electrolytic cell with a soluble anode of base metal and an insoluble cathode. The electrodes are not separated by a membrane and are at least partly immersed in an electrolyte to be enriched by ions of the base metal. The density of the electrolyte near the anode exceeds the density near the cathode by ≥ 100 g/l. An Independent claim is included for the production of metal in solution using the above apparatus as above Preferred Features: The density gradient is maintained by a temperature gradient ≥ 15 degrees C, the cathode region being hotter. The anode is made of metal granules. The electrolyte is based on sulfonates, sulfuric acid, halogen-based compounds, fluorosilicate or fluoroborate.