Abstract: A trace element solution comprises at least the following metals: zinc; manganese; selenium; and copper; and which comprises a concentration of the metals of at least 90 mg/ml. The solution may comprise the following concentrations: at least 60 mg/ml zinc; at least 10 mg/ml manganese; at least 5 mg/ml selenium; and at least 15 mg/ml copper. The solution may comprise chromium, iodine and chromium.

Abstract: A method of producing manganese metal or EMD by leaching a source of manganese with a solution comprising sulfuric acid to form a leach solution, adding one or more sulfides generated in a sulfide recycle stage to the leach solution in order to form sulfide precipitates comprising heavy metal sulfides, removing the sulfide precipitates from the leach solution, feeding the leach solution to one or more electrolytic cells, subjecting the purified leach solution to electrolysis so as to deposit manganese metal or EMD, reacting the sulfide precipitates with an acid to generate H2S, producing one or more sulfides from the H2S for recycle. Methods of producing manganese metal and a purified manganese sulfate solution are also provided.

Abstract: A process for obtaining electrolytic manganese from the treated sludge of the exhaust gases of ferroalloy production furnaces for any other industrial waste having magnesium in general, with a significant manganese content, by means of a process consisting of the following phases: sulphation, lixiviation, purification, conditioning and electrolysis, and whereby a manganese sulphate liquor is obtained that is suitable for the already known electrolysis process, which allows obtaining electrolytic manganese.

Abstract: High purity manganese having a purity of 3N (99.9%) or more, wherein number of non-metal inclusions with a size of 0.5 ?m or more is 50000 or less per 1 g of the high purity manganese. A method for producing high purity manganese, wherein refining is performed using a raw material (secondary raw material) obtained by acid-washing a manganese raw material (primary raw material) so that the produced high purity manganese has a purity of 3N (99.9%) or more, and number of non-metal inclusions with a size of 0.5 ?m or more is 50000 or less per 1 g of the high purity manganese. The present invention provides a method for producing high purity metal manganese from commercially available manganese, and aims to obtain high purity metal manganese having a low LPC.

Abstract: A method of preparing a metal containing inorganic ion exchanger in an electrochemical cell is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises: (a) adding the inorganic ion exchanger to the electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a conductive electrolyte solution having a liquid phase and a solid phase; (b) depositing metal ions electrochemically into the liquid phase; (c) allowing the metal ions to deposit onto the inorganic ion exchanger during an electrochemical reaction to obtain a metal containing inorganic ion exchanger; (d) collecting the solid phase comprising the metal containing inorganic ion exchanger obtained in step (c); (e) removing remaining metal ions from the liquid phase; and (f) obtaining a substantially metal free liquid phase.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for the selective recovery of manganese and zinc from geothermal brines that includes the steps of removing silica and iron from the brine, oxidizing the manganese and zinc to form precipitates thereof, recovering the manganese and zinc precipitates, solubilizing the manganese and zinc precipitates, purifying the manganese and zinc, and forming a manganese precipitate, and recovering the zinc by electrochemical means.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell and a method of electrochemical oxidation of manganese(II) ions to manganese(III) ions in the electrolytic cell are described. The electrolytic cell comprises (1) an electrolyte solution of manganese(II) ions in a solution of at least one acid; (2) a cathode immersed in the electrolyte solution; and (3) an anode immersed in the electrolyte solution and spaced apart from the cathode. Various anode materials are described including vitreous carbon, reticulated vitreous carbon, woven carbon fibers, lead and lead alloy. Once the electrolyte is oxidized to form a metastable complex of manganese(III) ions, a platable plastic may be contacted with the metastable complex to etch the platable plastic. In addition, a pretreatment step may also be performed on the platable plastic prior to contacting the platable plastic with the metastable complex to condition the plastic surface.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell and a method of electrochemical oxidation of manganese (II) ions to manganese(III) ions in the electrolytic cell are described. The electrolytic cell comprises (1) an electrolyte solution of manganese(II) ions in a solution of 9 to 15 molar sulfuric acid; (2) a cathode immersed in the electrolyte solution; and (3) an anode immersed in the electrolyte solution and spaced apart from the cathode. Various anode materials are described including vitreous carbon, reticulated vitreous carbon, and woven carbon fibers.

Abstract: An electrolytic extraction method wins a target element from an oxide feedstock compound thereof. The feedstock compound is dissolved in an oxide melt in contact with a cathode and an anode in an electrolytic cell. During electrolysis the target element is deposited at a liquid cathode and coalesces therewith. Oxygen is evolved on an anode bearing a solid oxide layer, in contact with the oxide melt, over a metallic anode substrate.

Abstract: In a method for producing metal powder, the first part of an acid-containing starting solution is fed on the anode side of an electrolytic cell as anolyte, to contact the anode and supply material containing yield metal, and a second part of the acid-containing starting solution, which also contains intermediary metal, is fed on the cathode side of the electrolytic cell, to contact the cathode as catholyte. Yield metal is oxidized and dissolved in the anolyte by leading electric current in the anode. The yield metal contained in the second part of the starting solution is reduced on the cathode side. Anolyte solution and catholyte solution are fed to a precipitating chamber for mixing the dissolved, oxidized yield metal and the second part of the starting solution containing reduced intermediary metal.

Abstract: Apparatus and processes are disclosed for electrowinning metal from a fluid stream. A representative apparatus comprises at least one spouted bed reactor wherein each said reactor includes an anolyte chamber comprising an anode and configured for containing an anolyte, a catholyte chamber comprising a current collector and configured for containing a particulate cathode bed and a flowing stream of an electrically conductive metal-containing fluid, and a membrane separating said anolyte chamber and said catholyte chamber, an inlet for an electrically conductive metal-containing fluid stream; and a particle bed churning device configured for spouting particle bed particles in the catholyte chamber independently of the flow of said metal-containing fluid stream. In operation, reduced heavy metals or their oxides are recovered from the cathode particles.

Abstract: An electrolytic extraction method wins a target element from an oxide feedstock compound thereof. The feedstock compound is dissolved in an oxide melt in contact with a cathode and an anode in an electrolytic cell. During electrolysis the target element is deposited at a liquid cathode and coalesces therewith. Oxygen is evolved on an anode bearing a solid oxide layer, in contact with the oxide melt, over a metallic anode substrate.

Abstract: A method of winning a metal from its oxide ore by heating the ore in a partial vacuum or under an inert atmosphere in the presence of a reductant. The resulting product may be further reduced electrochemically to produce a purer metal.

Abstract: Carbonaceous feedstock is at least partially oxidized using a concentrated metal ion solution that is regenerated in an electrochemical hydrogen gas producing process. The at least partially oxidized feedstock and/or hydrogen are then advantageously used as an energy carrier in a downstream process.

Abstract: A cell (100) for metal electrowinning from metal ion solutions is described, wherein the cathode (1) consists of a falling bed of growing beads; the beads, withdrawn from the lower part of the bed, are recycled to the top section of the cathodic compartment by means of an external vertical duct (3).

Abstract: It is herein described an electrowinning cell with a spouted bed electrode of growing metallic beads, separated by a semi-permeable diaphragm and suitable for being assembled in a stack in a modular arrangement.

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: This invention relates generally to a process of producing electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD). More specifically, a method of producing EMD from geothermal brine solutions is provided. Methods for production of manganese dioxide from geothermal brines through an electrolytic process are also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to a process of producing electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD). More specifically, a method of producing EMD from geothermal brine solutions is provided. Methods for production of manganese dioxide from geothermal brines through an electrolytic process are also provided.

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 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: Using the electrolytic process to make manganese metal, a source of manganomanganic oxide (Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4) is used in the sulfuric acid leach solution in conjunction with a reducing agent to convert the manganomanganic oxide into manganese sulfate for treatment in the electrolytic cell. Sources of manganomanganic oxide include sintered manganese ore, manganese ore having less than 7% available oxygen such as Assoman Ore, and MOR fume. Reducing agents include sulfur dioxide, activated carbon, reducing sugars and molasses.

Abstract: Wastewater containing a surfactant and an oil content that has been emulsified by the action of the surfactant can be freed of the oil content by a method including feeding the wastewater into the anode compartment, for electrolysis, of a diaphragm electrolyzer having an anode and a cathode provided in the anode compartment and a cathode compartment, respectively, which are spaced apart by a porous diaphragm and which are supplied with a dc voltage between the anode and the cathode, passing part of the electrolyzed wastewater through the diaphragm so that it enters the cathode compartment, discharging the influent from the cathode compartment, discharging the remainder of the electrolyzed wastewater from the anode compartment and introducing the same into the intermediate portion of a gas-liquid separator, withdrawing part of the influent from the top of the gas-liquid separator and introducing the same into a layer packed with an adhering material, where it is brought into contact with the adhering material,