Electrochemical pptn of copper@, zinc@, lead@, nickel@ or cobalt@ from oxidised ore leach solns

摘要

Process for electrochemically precipitating one of Cu, Zn, Pb, No or Co from an aq. electrolyte soln. contg. the metal ionogen is disclosed. The soln. is passed through an electrolysis cell with vertically oriented bipolar electrodes which are connected in series, each of the electrodes having a cathode side and an anode side, the metal being deposited on the cathode side. The electrolysis cell has an end anode connected to the positive pole of a DC source and an end cathode connected to the negative pole. The process is novel in that: (a) there is an electrically conducting connection between the cathode side and the anode side by means of at least one metal bar and electrolyte soln. flows unhindered through the internal space between the cathode side and the anode side and the intermediary space between neighbouring electrodes; (b) the current density of 800-8000 A/m<2> is established in the intermediary space and gas is generated at the anode side of electrodes producing an upwardly flowing gas stream along the side of the electrode, the flow having a speed of 5-100 cm/sec. at the middle point of the electrode; and (c) the electrolyte soln. is fed from the area at the upper edge of the anode side into a circulation chamber in which the soln. flows downwards, the soln. being passed back into the lower part of the intermediary space.