Electrolytic method for extracting tin and/or lead contained in an electrically conductive mixture

Electrolytic method for extracting tin or both tin and lead contained in an electrically conductive mixture derived from waste, said electrically conductive mixture consisting of a plurality of solid elements and comprising:

• less than 50% by mass, with respect to the total weight of the mixture, of tin in metal form,
• less than 25% by mass, with respect to the total weight of the mixture, of lead in metal form, and
• more than 25% by mass, with respect to the total weight of the mixture, of metallic copper and/or metallic iron and/or metallic aluminium, and/or metallic alloy comprising copper and/or iron and/or aluminium,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) forming an anode from said electrically conductive mixture,
• b) preparing an electrolytic solution comprising methanesulfonic acid at a concentration of between 150 g/l and 250 g/l, and tin methanesulfonate at a concentration of between 10 g/l and 60 g/l of tin and/or lead methanesulfonate MSPb at a concentration of between 5 g/l and 120 g/l of lead,
• c) providing a cathode,
• d) at least partly immersing said anode and cathode in the electrolytic solution, and
• e) applying an electric current between said anode and said cathode, via an electrical device, in order, by oxidation, to lixiviate the tin or both tin and lead of the anode, and to allow the deposition on the cathode of the tin or both tin and lead initially contained in the electrically conductive mixture.