The method includes two technological segments (i) a reduction segment and (ii) an oxidation segment that are interconnected by various support technological processes for the regeneration of solutions and gases and heat recuperation. The reduction segment includes an electrolysis that is performed from a solution of chloride salts of an energy carrier. During the electrolysis, these elements reduce to a lower oxidation state, solidify on the electrodes or precipitate to a solid state. The solid substance thus obtained is the energy carrier that can be stored outside of the electrolyser until a need for additional energy emerges. During the electrolysis, chlorine gas develops that is collected and dissolved in water. An HCl solution is regenerated, which is used in the oxidation segment. Oxygen is released in this process. The energy that has thus been stored in the oxidation potential of the energy carrier is released during a spontaneous chemical reaction between the energy carrier and the HCl solution in the oxidation segment. In this chemical reaction, the oxidation state of the chemical elements which constitute the energy carrier is increased to an oxidation state identical to that from before the beginning of the electrolysis. The reaction product hydrogen is formed that represents a high calorific fuel. This fuel can be immediately converted to heat or electrical energy, without a need for intermediate storage, by known methods. Only water enters the entire method, oxygen and hydrogen leave, while the cycle is closed/cyclic for the remaining substances.

Any metal having a low -ray emission, the metal being any one of tin, silver, copper, zinc, or indium, wherein an emission of an -ray after heating the metal at 100 C. in an atmosphere for six hours is 0.002 cph/cm.sup.2 or less. Any metal of tin, silver, copper, zinc and indium each including lead as an impurity is dissolved to prepare a hydrosulfate aqueous solution of the metal and lead sulfate is precipitated and removed in the solution. The lead sulfate is precipitated in the hydrosulfate aqueous solution by adding a lead nitrate aqueous solution including lead having an a-ray emission of 10 cph/cm.sup.2 or less to the hydrosulfate aqueous solution, from which the lead sulfate has been removed, and, at the same time, the solution is circulated while removing the lead sulfate to electrowinning the metal using the hydrosulfate aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution.

Any metal having a low -ray emission, the metal being any one of tin, silver, copper, zinc, or indium, wherein an emission of an -ray after heating the metal at 100 C. in an atmosphere for six hours is 0.002 cph/cm.sup.2 or less. Any metal of tin, silver, copper, zinc and indium each including lead as an impurity is dissolved to prepare a hydrosulfate aqueous solution of the metal and lead sulfate is precipitated and removed in the solution. The lead sulfate is precipitated in the hydrosulfate aqueous solution by adding a lead nitrate aqueous solution including lead having an a-ray emission of 10 cph/cm.sup.2 or less to the hydrosulfate aqueous solution, from which the lead sulfate has been removed, and, at the same time, the solution is circulated while removing the lead sulfate to electrowinning the metal using the hydrosulfate aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution.

The method includes two technological segments (i) a reduction segment and (ii) an oxidation segment that are interconnected by various support technological processes for the regeneration of solutions and gases and heat recuperation. The reduction segment includes an electrolysis that is performed from a solution of chloride salts of an energy carrier. During the electrolysis, these elements reduce to a lower oxidation state, solidify on the electrodes or precipitate to a solid state. The solid substance thus obtained is the energy carrier that can be stored outside of the electrolyser until a need for additional energy emerges. During the electrolysis, chlorine gas develops that is collected and dissolved in water. An HCl solution is regenerated, which is used in the oxidation segment. Oxygen is released in this process. The energy that has thus been stored in the oxidation potential of the energy carrier is released during a spontaneous chemical reaction between the energy carrier and the HCl solution in the oxidation segment. In this chemical reaction, the oxidation state of the chemical elements which constitute the energy carrier is increased to an oxidation state identical to that from before the beginning of the electrolysis. The reaction product hydrogen is formed that represents a high calorific fuel. This fuel can be immediately converted to heat or electrical energy, without a need for intermediate storage, by known methods. Only water enters the entire method, oxygen and hydrogen leave, while the cycle is closed/cyclic for the remaining substances.

Provided is a method for manufacturing high purity tin including: depositing electrodeposited tin on the surface of a cathode by electrowinning in an electrolytic bath in which a diaphragm is placed between an anode and the cathode, by using a raw material for tin as the anode and a leachate obtained by electrolytically leaching the raw material for tin in a sulfuric acid solution as an electrolytic solution, the electrolytic solution containing a smoothing agent for improving a surface property of the electrodeposited tin; discharging the electrolytic solution from the electrolytic bath such that lead in the discharged electrolytic solution is removed; and putting the electrolytic solution from which lead is removed back into the electrolytic bath.

Provided is a method for manufacturing high purity tin including: depositing electrodeposited tin on the surface of a cathode by electrowinning in an electrolytic bath in which a diaphragm is placed between an anode and the cathode, by using a raw material for tin as the anode and a leachate obtained by electrolytically leaching the raw material for tin in a sulfuric acid solution as an electrolytic solution, the electrolytic solution containing a smoothing agent for improving a surface property of the electrodeposited tin; discharging the electrolytic solution from the electrolytic bath such that lead in the discharged electrolytic solution is removed; and putting the electrolytic solution from which lead is removed back into the electrolytic bath.

A method of recovering metals from electronic waste comprises providing a powder comprising electronic waste in at least a first reactor and a second reactor and providing an electrolyte comprising at least ferric ions in an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the first reactor and the second reactor. The method further includes contacting the powders within the first reactor and the second reactor with the electrolyte to dissolve at least one base metal from each reactor into the electrolyte and reduce at least some of the ferric ions to ferrous ions. The ferrous ions are oxidized at an anode of the electrochemical cell to regenerate the ferric ions. The powder within the second reactor comprises a higher weight percent of the at least one base metal than the powder in the first reactor. Additional methods of recovering metals from electronic waste are also described, as well as an apparatus of recovering metals from electronic waste.

A method of recovering metals from electronic waste comprises providing a powder comprising electronic waste in at least a first reactor and a second reactor and providing an electrolyte comprising at least ferric ions in an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the first reactor and the second reactor. The method further includes contacting the powders within the first reactor and the second reactor with the electrolyte to dissolve at least one base metal from each reactor into the electrolyte and reduce at least some of the ferric ions to ferrous ions. The ferrous ions are oxidized at an anode of the electrochemical cell to regenerate the ferric ions. The powder within the second reactor comprises a higher weight percent of the at least one base metal than the powder in the first reactor. Additional methods of recovering metals from electronic waste are also described, as well as an apparatus of recovering metals from electronic waste.

Provided is a high purity tin (Sn) having an extremely low oxygen content. A high purity tin having a tin purity of 5N (99.999% by mass, provided that carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen are excluded) or more, wherein the high purity tin has an oxygen content of less than 10 ppb by mass, as measured by elemental analysis using Dynamic-SIMS.

Provided is a high purity tin (Sn) having an extremely low oxygen content. A high purity tin having a tin purity of 5N (99.999% by mass, provided that carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen are excluded) or more, wherein the high purity tin has an oxygen content of less than 10 ppb by mass, as measured by elemental analysis using Dynamic-SIMS.