PROCESS FOR RECOVERING METALS FROM AMMINE BEARING AMMONIUM SALT SOLUTIONS USING ION EXCHANGE RESIN

摘要

A process is described for recovering metals which are present in aqueous solution as complex metal ammine ions having an ammonia co-ordination of at least two. According to the process, the complex metal ammine bearing solution is contacted with a cationic ion exchange resin in the ammonium form to effect loading of the complex metal ammine ions from the solution onto the resin. The loaded resin is then stripped by contacting it with a controlled volume of aqueous ammonium salt stripping solution having an ammonium ion concentration of at least two molar. The free ammonia and ammonium salt concentrations in the stripping solution are controlled such that the controlled volume of stripping solution is effective to substantially completely strip the free ammonia and metal values from the resin.