Process for the recovery of metal values from anode slimes
AssigneeThe International Nickel Company, Inc.
InventorsKohur N. Subramanian, Malcolm C. E. Bell, John A. Thomas, Norman C. Nissen
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Abstract
A process for treating anode slimes containing silver in which the silver is converted to a form soluble in dilute nitric acid, and in which after dissolution in dilute nitric acid, the silver is electrowon from solution. The process can be carried out by a route which is entirely hydrometallurgical. In addition to recovery silver, other values such as Se, Te, Ni and precious metals can be recovered.
Claims18
In a process for treating anode slimes which contain silver values and at least one of the metal values selenium and tellurium, and which may contain copper, nickel, precious metals and gold values, in which silver is recovered by electrowinning from an aqueous silver nitrate-containing solution, the improvement comprising converting silver values comprising silver compounds of selenium and/or tellurium to a material containing silver in a form readily leachable in dilute nitric acid, leaching such silver-containing material with dilute nitric acid, and recovering silver from such leach solution by electrowinning.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.