An environmentally friendly (e.g. no acid, base, or cyanide) system and process for large scale extraction of metal ion into aerobic molten salt (or ionic liquid) and the electrodeposition of metal (e.g. copper, gold, silver, etc.) from the metal ion dissolved in the molten salt. The non-volatile low vapor pressure liquid salt is reusable, and heat from the molten slag can heat the molten salts or ionic liquids. Another embodiment comprises a one-pot apparatus for the extraction of metal (e.g. copper) from metal earths and electrodepositing the metal using a low melting (209 C.) aerated NaKZn chloride salt in which copper metal oxidizes and is converted to soluble copper chloride. When an electrical power supply is connected to the graphite vessel (cathode) and to copper rods in the melt (anodes), then the copper chloride is deposited as copper metal by electroreduction on the bottom of the graphite reaction vessel.

An environmentally friendly (e.g. no acid, base, or cyanide) system and process for large scale extraction of metal ion into aerobic molten salt (or ionic liquid) and the electrodeposition of metal (e.g. copper, gold, silver, etc.) from the metal ion dissolved in the molten salt. The non-volatile low vapor pressure liquid salt is reusable, and heat from the molten slag can heat the molten salts or ionic liquids. Another embodiment comprises a one-pot apparatus for the extraction of metal (e.g. copper) from metal earths and electrodepositing the metal using a low melting (209 C.) aerated NaKZn chloride salt in which copper metal oxidizes and is converted to soluble copper chloride. When an electrical power supply is connected to the graphite vessel (cathode) and to copper rods in the melt (anodes), then the copper chloride is deposited as copper metal by electroreduction on the bottom of the graphite reaction vessel.

Disclosed is an electrochemical method for high-temperature molten salt electrolysis in humid atmosphere. The method involves preparing hydrogen gas, metals/alloys, metal oxide compounds and metal hydrides in humid high-temperature molten salt environment. Hydrogen gas is generated by electrolyzing water in a molten salt electrolyte at above 100 C., and with a working cathode being a solid-state oxide pellet and a voltage applied to the electrolyzing cell being far lower than that in a direct electro-deoxidation process, the hydrogen gas generated reduces solid-state oxide cathodes to produce metals. The hydrogen ions in the molten salt can be prepared by hydrolysis reaction of the molten salt in a water vapor containing atmosphere. Corresponding metals or alloys or metal oxide compounds can be prepared by reducing iron oxide, molybdenum oxide, tantalum oxide, nickel oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide or corresponding compound oxides and the like.

Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

An environmentally friendly (e.g. no acid, base, or cyanide) system and process for large scale extraction of metal ion into aerobic molten salt (or ionic liquid) and the electrodeposition of metal (e.g. copper, gold, silver, etc.) from the metal ion dissolved in the molten salt. The non-volatile low vapor pressure liquid salt is reusable, and heat from the molten slag can heat the molten salts or ionic liquids. Another embodiment comprises a one-pot apparatus for the extraction of metal (e.g. copper) from metal earths and electrodepositing the metal using a low melting (209 C.) aerated NaKZn chloride salt in which copper metal oxidizes and is converted to soluble copper chloride. When an electrical power supply is connected to the graphite vessel (cathode) and to copper rods in the melt (anodes), then the copper chloride is deposited as copper metal by electroreduction on the bottom of the graphite reaction vessel.

An environmentally friendly (e.g. no acid, base, or cyanide) system and process for large scale extraction of metal ion into aerobic molten salt (or ionic liquid) and the electrodeposition of metal (e.g. copper, gold, silver, etc.) from the metal ion dissolved in the molten salt. The non-volatile low vapor pressure liquid salt is reusable, and heat from the molten slag can heat the molten salts or ionic liquids. Another embodiment comprises a one-pot apparatus for the extraction of metal (e.g. copper) from metal earths and electrodepositing the metal using a low melting (209 C.) aerated NaKZn chloride salt in which copper metal oxidizes and is converted to soluble copper chloride. When an electrical power supply is connected to the graphite vessel (cathode) and to copper rods in the melt (anodes), then the copper chloride is deposited as copper metal by electroreduction on the bottom of the graphite reaction vessel.

A method of direct oxide reduction includes forming a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, disposing at least one metal oxide in the electrochemical cell, disposing a counter electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, lithium iridate, lithium ruthenate, a lithium rhodate, a lithium tin oxygen compound, a lithium manganese compound, strontium ruthenium ternary compounds, calcium iridate, strontium iridate, calcium platinate, strontium platinate, magnesium ruthenate, magnesium iridate, sodium ruthenate, sodium iridate, potassium iridate, and potassium ruthenate in the electrochemical cell, and applying a current between the counter electrode and the at least one metal oxide to reduce the at least one metal oxide. Related methods of direct oxide reduction and related electrochemical cells are also disclosed.

A method of direct oxide reduction includes forming a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, disposing at least one metal oxide in the electrochemical cell, disposing a counter electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, lithium iridate, lithium ruthenate, a lithium rhodate, a lithium tin oxygen compound, a lithium manganese compound, strontium ruthenium ternary compounds, calcium iridate, strontium iridate, calcium platinate, strontium platinate, magnesium ruthenate, magnesium iridate, sodium ruthenate, sodium iridate, potassium iridate, and potassium ruthenate in the electrochemical cell, and applying a current between the counter electrode and the at least one metal oxide to reduce the at least one metal oxide. Related methods of direct oxide reduction and related electrochemical cells are also disclosed.

The following describes a reconfigurable set of industrial processing techniques which, when appropriately combined, enable zero-emissions reforming, utilizing a wide range of conventional and unconventional feedstocks. Hydrocarbons, harvested or refuse biomass, as well as assorted byproducts and wastes are reformed through tightly integrated processing. The system is designed to incorporate alternative energy sources such as renewables or nuclear for high-density energy utilization and storage. Central to the processing methodology is a novel molten salt electrochemical reactor designed as a modular system for high-throughput carbochlorination and resource recovery. Such a configuration drastically reduces or eliminates waste while improving efficiency and realizing vast new economic incentives.