Removal of Zn or Cd and cyanide from cyanide electroplating wastes

摘要

A method is described for the efficient stripping of stable complexes of a selected quaternary amine and a cyanide of Zn or Cd. An alkali metal hydroxide solution such as NaOH or KOH will quantitatively strip a pregnant extract of the quaternary ammonium complex of its metal and cyanide content and regenerate a quaternary ammonium hydroxide salt which can be used for extracting further metal cyanide values.