Compositions and methods of using a ketoxime in a metal solvent

A method for the recovery of metal from a metal-containing aqueous solution at an elevated temperature, the method comprising:

• contacting the metal-containing aqueous solution with an organic phase comprising a water immiscible solvent and a reagent composition comprising a ketoxime having a structure represented by:
• wherein R5 is a C1-22 linear or branched alkyl group;
• R1 is a C1-22 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group, a C6 aryl group or a C7-22 aralkyl group;
• R2-R4 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, a linear or branched C6-12 alkyl group, OR6 wherein R6 is a C1-22 linear or branched alkyl group, a C2-22 linear or branched alkenyl group, a C6 aryl group, or a C7-22 aralkyl group to extract at least a portion of the metal into the organic phase to provide a metal-pregnant organic phase and a metal-barren aqueous phase;
• separating the resultant metal-pregnant organic phase from the metal-barren aqueous phase;
• and
• recovering metal from the metal-pregnant organic phase.