Electrochemical processes and analytics in hydrometallurgy

Fraunhofer IKTS is developing hydrometallurgical process chains for high recovery rates for the extraction of valuable metals from primary and secondary raw materials. Electrochemical extraction and purification are part of the process kit. While electrochemical extraction is used for the coarse and selective transfer of solutions containing metal salts into compact metal electrodes, electrochemical purification is based on the dissolution of contaminated electrodes and redeposition in purified form as electrodes. Both technologies are used for the extraction and purification of copper, for example. In addition to copper, elements such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, tin and others (typical metals used in surface technology) can also be recovered from hydrometallurgical process water.

For efficient extraction, these processes can be combined with separation and enrichment methods - such as electrodialysis. At Fraunhofer IKTS, the electrochemical processes are specifically embedded in the hydrometallurgical process chain. The development and optimization of the processes is supported by comprehensive element analysis and used to balance the material flows.