In a method for electrochemical ammunition disposal and material recovery, ammunition cartridges are placed in an acidic aqueous solution that is in contact with a cathode and an anode. The ammunition cartridges have a casing that includes an alloy of copper and zinc. The ammunition cartridges are agitated in the acidic aqueous solution as a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode. The applied voltage is effective to oxidize and dissolve zinc from the copper-zinc alloy. Copper metal derived from the alloy can be recovered as a solid, and zinc ion derived from the alloy can be recovered as a solution.

In a method for electrochemical ammunition disposal and material recovery, ammunition cartridges are placed in an acidic aqueous solution that is in contact with a cathode and an anode. The ammunition cartridges have a casing that includes an alloy of copper and zinc. The ammunition cartridges are agitated in the acidic aqueous solution as a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode. The applied voltage is effective to oxidize and dissolve zinc from the copper-zinc alloy. Copper metal derived from the alloy can be recovered as a solid, and zinc ion derived from the alloy can be recovered as a solution.

The present application relates to a process for the purification of waste materials or industrial by-products, the process comprising the steps of: a) Preparing a composition (C) by blending or mixing waste materials or industrial by-products comprising chlorine (B) with one or more materials comprising heavy metals (HM) b) Reacting (B) and (HM) by thermal treatment of (C) c) Separating evaporated heavy metal chloride compounds (HMCC) d) Obtaining a solid material after the thermal treatment step.

The present application relates to a process for the purification of waste materials or industrial by-products, the process comprising the steps of: a) Preparing a composition (C) by blending or mixing waste materials or industrial by-products comprising chlorine (B) with one or more materials comprising heavy metals (HM) b) Reacting (B) and (HM) by thermal treatment of (C) c) Separating evaporated heavy metal chloride compounds (HMCC) d) Obtaining a solid material after the thermal treatment step.

A device for producing a pure metal or an alloy of the pure metal via electrolytic reduction of an ore of the pure metal or of a substance containing an oxidized form of the pure metal includes: a cell equipped with an anode, a cathode, an electrolytic area comprising an electrolyte, and a removable cell closing system, the cathode having a coating non-adherent for an electrolytically deposited metal; and an electrically conductive metal sheet for extraction of a plate of the electrolytically deposited metal on the cathode, the metal sheet being arranged in the cell in a continuation of the cathode or partially overlapping the cathode, with mechanical and electrical contact at one end with the cathode and extending at least partly beyond the electrolytic area of the cell so as to allow simultaneous depositing of the pure metal on the cathode and on a portion of the metal sheet.

The present zinc recovery method is characterized in including a dissolving process of treating a raw material containing zinc with an alkaline fluid at a temperature equal to or higher than 100 C. to dissolve zinc contained in the raw material, and a recovering process of recovering zinc extracted from the raw material by the dissolving process.

The present zinc recovery method is characterized in including a dissolving process of treating a raw material containing zinc with an alkaline fluid at a temperature equal to or higher than 100 C. to dissolve zinc contained in the raw material, and a recovering process of recovering zinc extracted from the raw material by the dissolving process.

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.

The invention relates to a combined electrolytic system for precipitating different types of metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, cobalt, silver, gold) and regenerating reagents for the leaching of metal sulphurs from solutions from leaching in a sulphuric-oxidising or hydrochloric-oxidising environment, including a process that permits the combining of the current reduction processes followed by oxidising processes which are complex and potentially dangerous from an environmental point of view, thereby preventing the risky transportation of dangerous substances, loading and unloading operations, storage and manipulation of toxic materials, and reducing the environmentally contaminating waste, producing a commercial-quality cathodic product and a solution that is re-used in the leaching process. The system comprises a membrane cell device (3) that is connected via ducts and valves to one or more oxidising agent tanks (7), to one or more anodic solution tanks (6) and to one or more cathodic solution tanks (2), wherein said membrane device (3) is formed by one or more cathodic compartments (4) and by one or more anode compartments (5), wherein each of the cathodic compartment(s) (4) is/are separated from each of the anode compartment(s) (5) by a membrane for selective and uni-directional ion exchange.