Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing metal-containing (e.g., non-oxide, oxide, or elemental) nano-objects, which may be nanoparticles or nanowires, the method comprising contacting an aqueous solution comprising a metal salt and water with an electrically powered electrode to form said metal-containing nano-objects dislodged from the electrode, wherein said electrode possesses a nanotextured surface that functions to confine the particle growth process to form said metal-containing nano-objects. The invention is also directed to the resulting metal-containing compositions as well as devices in which they are incorporated.

Abstract: Methods and devices for the continuous manufacture of nanop?rticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s) are disclosed. The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e. g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s).

Abstract: Provided are a low impedance gold electrode, which has increased surface area, and can improve a bonding force with other materials, an apparatus for and a method of fabricating the low impedance gold electrode, and an electrolyte solution for use in the fabrication of the low impedance gold electrode. The gold electrode has a surface roughness that is increased through electrolysis using an acid electrolyte solution, has an impedance that is less than 1/10 of an impedance before the electrolysis and is higher than 0? when the low impedance gold electrode is disposed in the acid electrolyte solution or another electrolyte solution, and has a single-layered structure whose thickness is less than that before the electrolysis.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to a process for removing one or more contaminants from an electrolytic solution and more particularly to a process for removing the one or more contaminants contained in an electrorefining solution using rare earth metals.

Abstract: The application relates to a method for treating waste containing precious metals, said method comprising the following successive steps: the waste is brought into contact with a composition based on molten lead; the mixture obtained is skimmed; and the skimmed mixture is refined by electrolysis in such a way as to recover the precious metals. The application also relates to a waste treatment installation for implementing said method.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved electrochemical process for winning platinum group and incidental precious metals from ore. The process utilizes a peroxide leach in combination with electricity to produce higher valency metals and comprises the following steps: combining ground ore with a solution comprising water with a selected amount of H2O2 and an anion source to form a slurry; applying a direct current while allowing the metal in the ore to leach into the solution for a selected period of time; filtering and clarifying the leached slurry to obtain a pregnant solution; and treating the pregnant solution to yield metal, metal salts or both.

Abstract: A method of producing a higher purity metal comprising the step of electrolyzing a coarse metal material by a primary electrolysis to obtain a primary electrodeposited metal, the step of electrolyzing the material with the primary electrodeposited metal obtained in the primary electrolysis step used as an anode to obtain a higher purity electrolyte for secondary electrolysis, and the step of further performing secondary electrolysis by employing higher purity electrolytic solution than said electrolytic solution with said primary electrodeposited metal as an anode, whereby providing an electro-refining method that effectively uses electrodes and an electrolyte produced in a plurality of electro-refining steps, reuses the flow of an electrolyte in the system, reduces organic matter-caused oxygen content, and can effectively produce a high purity metal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for the recovery of one or more trace elements including gold and one or more platinum group elements from coal. More particularly, the present invention may specify parameters for the selection of coal for combustion, the parameters for combustion of the pre-selected coal, the parameters for the preparation and mixing of a charge for a furnace including ash from the combustion of the coal with an inquart and a fluxing agent, the parameters for the heating of the charge and casting of a dore bar and the parameters for the production of an anode slime from the dore bar. The method of the present invention may also specify parameters for the recovery of silver, gold and one or more trace platinum group elements from the anode slimes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method utilizing a strip solution for removing gold from the loaded activated carbon used to accumulate such gold leached from gold bearing ore, and for electrically removing such gold from the strip solution by electrowinning. The apparatus includes a pair of strip columns fillable with loaded activated carbon. The strip columns are connectable individually and in series in respective continuous loops using a valved crossover pipe assembly to an electrowinning device, with the strip solution being pumped therethrough.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for protecting electrowinning anodes having electrocatalytically active coatings in a bank of electrolytic cells from being damaged by reverse currents. In the first embodiment, one or more auxiliary power sources are provided that, when triggered by one or more predetermined conditions being met, keep the bank of electrolytic cells in an electrical state that is relatively harmless to the anodes having electrocatalytically active coatings. In a second embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of maintaining the polarization of anodes in an electrowinning cell positive of the cathodes (i.e. in a potential region where the anode coating is not susceptible to significant damage). In a final embodiment, the invention is directed to various methods for the installation of replacement anodes and maintenance of electrowinning cells.

Abstract: A method of preparing organic acids (fulvic, humic, and ulmic) for use as an electrolyte for producing high ionizations of precious metals (such as silver) which entails leaching out the organic acid from its source, stabilizing the organic acid first with ascorbic acid followed by sodium benzoate, removing cations, and using the organic acid as an electrolyte. A precious metal (such as silver) is used as a sacrificial electrode in this electrolyte. A non-sacrificial electrode could either be the same precious metal or an inert non-precious metal (titanium or graphite carbons). If the same material is used for the non-sacrificial electrode as for the sacrificial electrode, the size of each electrode may be about the same. If different material is used for the non-sacrificial electrode, its size should be larger that of the sacrificial electrode. Current at about 2 or more volts is applied to the electrodes and the ionization process begins yielding high concentrations of ionized precious metals.

Abstract: A method is described for the preparation of platinum wherein first an aqueous solution of a hexahalogenoplatinate is passed through a cation exchanger and then the solution obtained, at a temperature T>+30° C. and a pH of 0 to 4, is reduced by a reducing agent to precipitate in the form of a platinum sponge.

Abstract: A procedure for the generation of organosulfonic acids from solutions of corresponding metal organosulfonate compounds by electrowinning, electrolytically driven hydrolysis or chemically driven hydrolysis is described. Appropriate organosulfonate compounds include the water soluble salts of alkanesulfonic and aromatic sulfonic acids which incorporate metals from Group VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, IIB or VA of the periodic table. The electrowinning and electrolytic techniques described can be applied in divided or undivided cells and can be operated in continuous fashion to provide the greatest efficiency. Hydrolysis based methods can employ either anodic oxidation or oxidation both of which function to oxidize the metal cation(s) present to hydrolytically unstable higher oxidation states.

Abstract: A process for purifying and refining platinum group metals such as platinum, iridium, palladium, rhodium and the like by an electrochemical process using ammonium chloride as the electrolyte to form ammonium chloride platinum group salts as a "slime" followed by the use of ammonia hydroxide to dissolve and separate said salts from other materials in the slime. A further step to precipitate the platinum metals from the ammonia hydroxide may be employed.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition for use in the recovery of precious metals, or the treatment and/or purification of water, the composition being selected from a catolytic solution having a pH greater than 7, an anolytic solution having a pH less than 7, and a near-neutral solution having a pH near 7, or a mixture of two or more of said solutions. The invention also relates to a process for the recovery of precious metals from precious metal-bearing ore using the above composition. Further, there is provided a process for making a composition, the process comprising activating water by subjecting it to a magnetic treatment; subjecting the water to electrolysis in a reactor; introducing additives to the activated water in the reactor to form a reaction mixture; subjecting the reaction mixture to photoelectrolysis and/or radioelectrolysis; and separating an anolyte and catholyte in the reactor.

Abstract: In the recovery of an electrically conductive metal from a liquid containing the metal in solution, a cathode member for deposition of the metal by electrolysis, comprises a carrier sheet with a cathode element of the metal to be recovered, on one side of the sheet; the carrier sheet is of a material from which the metal is readily refinable when smelted with the carrier sheet; the cathode member has particular application for removal of the silver content of fixer solution in photography; suitably the sheet is flexible and has a memory of a planar state, such that on being rolled into a cylindrical tubular configuration, it returns to the planar state unless restrained.

Abstract: A method of treating a solid material containing a substance of economic importance so as to recover or extract the substance from the material involving the following: forming a conducting mixture of the solid with a liquid so that at least some of the substance of economic importance is dissolved in the liquid, applying an electrical potential difference between at least two electrodes in contact with the mixture at spaced apart locations so as to impart opposite charges to the respective electrodes thereby attracting the liquid containing the dissolved substance to one of the electrodes, removing the liquid from an area surrounding or from a vicinity of the one electrode, and treating the liquid containing the substance of economic importance so as to recover or extract the substance. The liquid used is at least partially conducting. The present method is particularly useful for extracting or recovering gold from gold-containing or gold bearing ores.

Abstract: A process for leaching gold, silver, platinum and palladium wherein an aqueous leaching solution containing bromine and bromide ion contacts a precious metal source to produce an aqueous leachate. A precursor composition for producing an aqueous leaching solution for leaching gold, silver, platinum and palladium. A process for electrogenerating bromine and a process for leaching gold, silver, platinum and palladium wherein bromine is electrogenerated and contacts a precious metal source to produce an aqueous leachate. A process for leaching gold, silver, platinum and palladium wherein bromine is electrogenerated from a solution containing chloride ions and bromide ions.