Mercury contaminated mud treatment

A hydrometallurgical process for the removal of mercury and mercury compounds from solid materials containing mercury and mercury compounds comprising:

• (a) treating the solid materials in a first leach with acid, sodium chloride and sodium hypochlorite for a sufficient length of time to produce a first leached product having a reduced mercury and mercury compound content and a first by-product having an elevated mercury and mercury compound content;
• (b) transferring the first leached product from the first leach to a first wash thickener and thickening the first leached product from the first leach to generate a first thickened product and an overflow product;
• and
• (c) transferring the overflow product from the first wash thickener to an electrolytic cell to yield elemental mercury and an overflow which is recycled to the first leach.

A hydrometallurgical process for the removal of mercury and mercury compounds from solid and liquid materials containing mercury and mercury compounds comprising:

• (a) treating the solid and liquid materials in a sulfide reactor with acid and sodium sulfide to produce a reaction product;
• (b) transferring the reaction product from the sulfide reactor to a preliminary thickener to produce a thickened product;
• (c) transferring the thickened product form the preliminary thickener to a first leach, to which is added acid and sodium hypochlorite to produce a first leached product;
• and
• (d) washing and dewatering the first leached product for the first leach to yield an overflow product.

A hydrometallurgical process for the removal of mercury and mercury compounds from solid materials containing mercury and mercury compounds comprising:

• (a) thickening the solid materials to produce a thickened product;
• (b) treating the thickened product in at least one leach with acid and sodium hypochlorite for a sufficient length of time to produce a leached product having a reduced mercury and mercury compound content and a by-product having an elevated mercury and mercury compound content;
• (c) transferring the leached product from the leach to a dewatering process to yield a low mercury content residue and an overflow product;
• and
• (d) treating the overflow product from the dewatering process with iron to yield a cement.

A hydrometallurgical process for the removal of mercury and mercury compounds from solid materials containing mercury and mercury compounds comprising:

• (a) thickening the solid materials to produce a thickened product;
• (b) treating the thickened product in at least one leach with acid and sodium hypochlorite for a sufficient length of time to produce a leached product having a reduced mercury and mercury compound content and a by-product having an elevated mercury and mercury compound content;
• (c) transferring the leached product from the leach to a dewatering process to yield a low mercury content residue and an overflow product;
• and
• (d) directing the overflow product to an electrolytic cell.