US3382163A - Method of electrolytic extraction of metals - Google Patents

Method of electrolytic extraction of metals Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3382163A
US3382163A US385749A US38574964A US3382163A US 3382163 A US3382163 A US 3382163A US 385749 A US385749 A US 385749A US 38574964 A US38574964 A US 38574964A US 3382163 A US3382163 A US 3382163A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
anode
solution
amalgam
cathode
metal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US385749A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Czaloun Anton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Donau Chemie AG
Original Assignee
Donau Chemie AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Donau Chemie AG filed Critical Donau Chemie AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3382163A publication Critical patent/US3382163A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25C1/00—Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of solutions

Definitions

  • sulfo-salts forming metals are electrolytically extracted from the solution of their sulfosalts by making use of an anode of an alkali metal amalgam or an alkali-earth metal amalgam.
  • the process according to the present invention does not need any additional electromotive force, as the cell made up of metal/ solution of sulfo-salt/amalgam, provides a voltage, and the electrolysis may be carried out by putting an external load on the cell or by shunting it. To increase the current density it may, however, be appropriate to apply an additional external voltage for the deposition of the metal.
  • a continuous metal deposition may be achieved without the use of any dia phragm, particularly if the sulfo-salt solution shows no tendency to lead to disturbing reactions with the amalgam of the anode.
  • the anode space is separated from the cathode space by a diaphragm in a known manner (see, for instance, German Patent No. 687,388), in order to segregate the sulfo-salt solution from the anode.
  • the anode space contains appropriately a solution of an alkali metal sulfide or an alkali earth metal sulfide, while the cathode space contains the solution of the sulfo-salt.
  • a flow of the electrolyte preferably a solution of an alkali earth metal sulfide or an alkali metal sulfide, through the diaphragm in the direction towards the cathode.
  • This may, for instance, be done by introducing into the anode space an additional amount of a solution of an alkali earth metal sulfide or an alkali metal sulfide, so as to keep the liquid level in the anode space higher than in the cathode space.
  • a solution of sodium thioantimonite is electrolyzed in the above described manner, using sodium amalgam as anode and a solution of sodium sulfide as the anode electrolyte, metallic antimony :will be deposited on the cathode.
  • the sulfide residue of the sulfo-salt is obtained as sodium sulfide.
  • the latter, together with the soluble sulfide which may have been added at the side of the anode, may be removed from the electrolyte in a relatively simple manner by crystallization.
  • a contamination of the mercury is safely avoided, so that it may be re-introduced, Without special purification, in a cell (for instance, in a chlorine-alkali-cell) 'Example 1 100 cubic centimeters of a thioantimonide solution containing 7.7% (percent) antimony are used as the cathode electrolyte, and 100' cubic centimeters of a sodium sulfide solution as the anode electrolyte.
  • the cathode space is separated from the anode space by a diaphragm.
  • a plate of platinum serves in this example as the cathode, and sodium amalgam having a concentration of 0. 1 to 0.5% (percent) of sodium, serves as the anode.
  • the cell antimony (on platinum) thioantimon-ite/ sodium sulfide/sodium amalgam has an electromotive force of about 1 volt and the electrolysis is put into operation by putting a load on the cell or by shunting it. In order to increase the current density, an additional external voltage is applied, the magnitude of which will depend on the desired electric current intensity and the resistance in ohms of the cell.
  • the antimony metal is obtained with an electric current yield of more than 90% (percent). Calculated on the basis of the consumption of sodium, the yield is from to (percent).
  • Sodium sulfide is obtained as a by product with the same yield.
  • Example 2 The arrangement shown in 'FIG. 1 is used, the amalgam anode 1 being disposed horizontally and the metal cathode 2 and the diaphagm 3 being disposed vertically.
  • the apparatus consists of glass.
  • the diameter of the two vertical containers is about 40 mm., and the height of the said containers is about 100 to 140 mm.
  • the diaphragm has a diameter of 35 mm., the pore size of the diaphragm being 40 to 90 millimicrons.
  • An approximately 10% solution 4 of Na S is placed into the compartment above the amalgam anode and the sulfo-salt solution 5 is placed into the compartment of the metal cathode, the said sulfosalt solution being e.g.
  • a thioantimonite solution comprising about 40 to 90 grams of antimony per liter.
  • the anode 1 consists of sodium amalgam. If the cell is short-circuited via an amperemeter an electric current starts to flow and metallic antimony is deposited at the cathode.
  • Example 3 The same arrangement is used as in Example 2, but a solution of thiostannate comprising about grams of tin per liter is employed as the sulfo-salt solution. Again an electric current will fiow through the cell when it is short-circuited. In order to increase the current density, an additional voltage may be applied from outside, and tin will then be deposited at the cathode in good yield.
  • Example 4 The working conditions are as in Example 3, but a solution of HgS in an alkali metal sulfide is used, so that mercury will be deposited at the cathode.
  • Example 5 An electrolysis procedure is performed on a larger scale.
  • a vertical amalgam anode according to FIG. 2 is used.
  • a metal electrode 14 (copper) is disposed opposite to the said first electrode and separated therefrom by a diaphragm 13.
  • the sulfosalt solution 15 is placed into the cathode compartment, and the alkali metal sulfide solution 16 is placed into the anode compartment.
  • the liquid level in the anode compartment is correspondingly higher, so as to allow the passage of liquid through the diaphragm in the direction towards the cathode.
  • the rate of flow of electrolyte into the cathode compartment is maintained such that e.g. an average concentration of about 40 to 50 grams of antimony per liter is obtained.
  • concentration of amalgam is kept at about 0.2%.
  • the metal of the sulfo-salt is selected from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, tin, gold, platinum and Wolfram.
  • the anode space comprises the solution of a sulfide selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfides and alkali-earth metal sulfides
  • the cathode space comprises the solution of the sulfo-salt of the metal to be extracted.
  • the steps comprising using sodium amalgam as anode, a solution of sodium sulfide as the anode electrolyte, and a solution of sodium-thiostannate as the cathode electrolyte.
  • steps comprising using potassium amalgam as anode, a solution of potassium sulfide as the anode electrolyte, and a solution of potassium-thioantimonite as the cathode electrolyte.
  • steps comprising using potassium amalgam as anode, a solution of potassium sulfide as the anode electrolyte, and a solution of potassium-thiostannate as the cathode electrolyte.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)
US385749A 1963-08-02 1964-07-28 Method of electrolytic extraction of metals Expired - Lifetime US3382163A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT624663A AT240059B (de) 1963-08-02 1963-08-02 Verfahren zur elektrolytischen Abscheidung von sulfosalzbildenden Metallen

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3382163A true US3382163A (en) 1968-05-07

Family

ID=3584353

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US385749A Expired - Lifetime US3382163A (en) 1963-08-02 1964-07-28 Method of electrolytic extraction of metals

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3382163A (de)
AT (1) AT240059B (de)
DE (1) DE1204834B (de)
GB (1) GB1069601A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3657081A (en) * 1970-11-09 1972-04-18 W Church Holmes Process for recovery of metals
FR2133922A1 (de) * 1971-04-23 1972-12-01 Snam Progetti
US4437949A (en) 1982-01-07 1984-03-20 Manchem, Limited Electrolysis of tin complexes
US5100528A (en) * 1989-03-28 1992-03-31 Noranda, Inc. Continuous silver refining cell

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US791401A (en) * 1905-02-20 1905-05-30 Anson Gardner Betts Process of extracting zinc from its ores.
US1501413A (en) * 1921-06-15 1924-07-15 Kissock Alan Process of recovering tin
US3068157A (en) * 1958-12-22 1962-12-11 Accumulatoren Fabrik Ag Process for using the decomposition energy of amalgams for electrolysis of metal salts by using reversible hydrogen electrodes
US3294586A (en) * 1962-03-01 1966-12-27 Pullman Inc Fuel cell with movable casing and electrodes and method for operating fuel cell withan anode containing an alkaline earth metal

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US791401A (en) * 1905-02-20 1905-05-30 Anson Gardner Betts Process of extracting zinc from its ores.
US1501413A (en) * 1921-06-15 1924-07-15 Kissock Alan Process of recovering tin
US3068157A (en) * 1958-12-22 1962-12-11 Accumulatoren Fabrik Ag Process for using the decomposition energy of amalgams for electrolysis of metal salts by using reversible hydrogen electrodes
US3294586A (en) * 1962-03-01 1966-12-27 Pullman Inc Fuel cell with movable casing and electrodes and method for operating fuel cell withan anode containing an alkaline earth metal

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3657081A (en) * 1970-11-09 1972-04-18 W Church Holmes Process for recovery of metals
FR2133922A1 (de) * 1971-04-23 1972-12-01 Snam Progetti
US4437949A (en) 1982-01-07 1984-03-20 Manchem, Limited Electrolysis of tin complexes
US5100528A (en) * 1989-03-28 1992-03-31 Noranda, Inc. Continuous silver refining cell

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AT240059B (de) 1965-05-10
DE1204834B (de) 1965-11-11
GB1069601A (en) 1967-05-17

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2734856A (en) Electrolytic method for refining titanium metal
US1980381A (en) Method of making ductile electrolytic iron from sulphide ores
US3382163A (en) Method of electrolytic extraction of metals
US3983018A (en) Purification of nickel electrolyte by electrolytic oxidation
US3721611A (en) Process for the production of metals
US805969A (en) Separation of metals.
US3200055A (en) Process for the electrolytic production of hyperpure zinc
US1854684A (en) Production of aluminum
US2624702A (en) Separation of nickel from cobalt containing solutions
US2831802A (en) Production of subdivided metals
US1538390A (en) Treatment of alkali-metal amalgams, especially for the production of alkali metals
US4115222A (en) Method for electrolytic winning of lead
US3297553A (en) Electrolytic production of tungsten and molybdenum
US2583799A (en) Electrolytic process of preparing selenic acid from selenious acid
US3262871A (en) Preparation of phosphine
US1757047A (en) Process of electrolytically refining copper or copper alloys
US1200025A (en) Process of recovering metals.
US771646A (en) Process of obtaining metals.
US3297554A (en) Electrolytic production of tungsten and molybdenum
US2839461A (en) Electrolytic recovery of nickel
US2322786A (en) Process of electrolytic parting
DE1965890A1 (de) Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Elektrode
US3109785A (en) Method of preparing phosphine
US2796394A (en) Separating and recovering nonferrous alloys from ferrous materials coated therewith
JPS5985879A (ja) 電気精錬方法