System and methods for separation of electrolytic iron from iron-containing feedstock

An electrochemical reactor system, comprising:

• an electrochemical cell, comprising:
• an anode;
• a cathode disposed opposite the anode;
• an electrolyte stream contacting the cathode, the electrolyte stream comprising an electrolyte and an iron-containing feedstock comprising feedstock particles;
• and
• a channel that contains the electrolyte stream within the electrochemical cell;
• and
• a magnetic field source positioned to provide a magnetic field of at least one gauss, preferably 25 to 10,000 gauss, more preferably 300 to 3,000 gauss to the cathode, or to provide a magnetic field of 0.0025 to 1 Tesla, preferably 0.03 to 1 Tesla, more preferably 0.03 to 0.3 Tesla at the surface of the cathode, or a combination thereof, and
• wherein the electrochemical cell is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to form iron particles comprising iron metal at a surface of the cathode and in the magnetic field, and
• wherein the feedstock particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 10 micrometers or less, preferably 0.1 to 10 micrometers, and the iron particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 50 to 1,000 micrometers, preferably 50 to 200 micrometers, or
• wherein the feedstock particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 25 micrometers or greater, preferably 25 to 500 micrometers, and the iron particles have an average particle size in at least one dimension of 0.1 to 20 micrometers, preferably 0.1 to 10 micrometers.