The present description relates to a process for producing magnesium metal from dihydrate magnesium chloride comprising the steps of dehydrating MgCI.sub.2.2H.sub.2O with anhydrous hydrochloric acid (HCI) to obtain anhydrous magnesium chloride in an inert environment, releasing the mixture of hydrous HCI and protection gas; and electrolyzing the anhydrous magnesium chloride in an electrolytic cell fed with hydrogen gas under free oxygen atmosphere content, wherein magnesium metal and anhydrous hydrogen chloride are produced, wherein a part of the hydrous HCI is passed through a scrubbing unit to obtain a hydrochloric acid solution, the other part of the hydrochloric chloride gas is dehydrated by contact with a desiccant agent in a drying unit to produce anhydrous HCI, and wherein the anhydrous HCI produced by at least one of the electrolytic cell and the drying unit is reused to dehydrate the of MgCI.sub.2.2H.sub.2O.

A lithium metal electrode is manufactured according to a process that bonds a layer of lithium metal to a conductive substrate on one side and to an ion selective membrane on another side. The lithium metal electrode may be integrated into lithium metal batteries. The inventive lithium metal electrode may be manufactured by a process involving electrolysis of lithium ions from an aqueous lithium salt solution through an ion selective membrane, carried out under a blanketing atmosphere having no more than 10 ppm of non-metallic elements, the electrolysis being performed at a constant current between about 10 mA/cm.sup.2 and about 50 mA/cm.sup.2, and wherein the constant current is applied for a time between about 1 minute and about 60 minutes.

A process for producing refined lithium metal can include: a) processing a lithium chemical feedstock material using an electrowinning apparatus to produce a crude lithium metal having a first purity; b) combining the crude lithium metal with a carrier material to create a lithium-rich feed alloy; c) introducing the lithium-rich feed alloy as a feedstock material to an electrorefining apparatus and processing the lithium-rich feed alloy using the electrorefining apparatus to separate lithium metal from the carrier material thereby producing i) a refined lithium metal having a second purity that is greater than the first purity and ii) a lithium-depleted alloy that comprises the carrier material and less lithium metal than the lithium-rich feed alloy; and d) extracting the lithium-depleted alloy from the electrorefining apparatus and recycling at least a portion of the lithium-depleted alloy to provide at least a portion of the carrier material used in step b).

A process for producing refined lithium metal can include: a) processing a lithium chemical feedstock material using an electrowinning apparatus to produce a crude lithium metal having a first purity; b) combining the crude lithium metal with a carrier material to create a lithium-rich feed alloy; c) introducing the lithium-rich feed alloy as a feedstock material to an electrorefining apparatus and processing the lithium-rich feed alloy using the electrorefining apparatus to separate lithium metal from the carrier material thereby producing i) a refined lithium metal having a second purity that is greater than the first purity and ii) a lithium-depleted alloy that comprises the carrier material and less lithium metal than the lithium-rich feed alloy; and d) extracting the lithium-depleted alloy from the electrorefining apparatus and recycling at least a portion of the lithium-depleted alloy to provide at least a portion of the carrier material used in step b).

A method for extracting palladium includes: (1) mixing a palladium-containing material with nitric acid and an alkali metal ion-containing catalyst to obtain a mixed solution, heating the mixed solution, and removing a resulting residue to obtain a palladium-containing leaching liquor; and (2) subjecting the palladium-containing leaching liquor obtained in step (1) to separative extraction to obtain metallic palladium or at least one palladium-containing product, and reusing a residual solution for step (1) in a subsequent extraction. The alkali metal ion-containing catalyst of the present disclosure can leach palladium at a higher rate than that when pure nitric acid of the same concentration is used and does not volatilize, such that the recycling of a mother liquor can be realized. The method involves simple operations, has low production costs, greatly shortens the palladium extraction time, does not lead to secondary pollution, and meets the requirements of environmental protection.

A method for extracting palladium includes: (1) mixing a palladium-containing material with nitric acid and an alkali metal ion-containing catalyst to obtain a mixed solution, heating the mixed solution, and removing a resulting residue to obtain a palladium-containing leaching liquor; and (2) subjecting the palladium-containing leaching liquor obtained in step (1) to separative extraction to obtain metallic palladium or at least one palladium-containing product, and reusing a residual solution for step (1) in a subsequent extraction. The alkali metal ion-containing catalyst of the present disclosure can leach palladium at a higher rate than that when pure nitric acid of the same concentration is used and does not volatilize, such that the recycling of a mother liquor can be realized. The method involves simple operations, has low production costs, greatly shortens the palladium extraction time, does not lead to secondary pollution, and meets the requirements of environmental protection.

A system and methods are provided for electrochemical grinding a workpiece. In one embodiment, a method includes controlling potentials to grinding tool and the workpiece, controlling applying electrolyte, and controlling grinding of the workpiece by the grinding tool. The method may also include determining screen replacement when there is sufficient metal plated.

A system and methods are provided for electrochemical grinding a workpiece. In one embodiment, a method includes controlling potentials to grinding tool and the workpiece, controlling applying electrolyte, and controlling grinding of the workpiece by the grinding tool. The method may also include determining screen replacement when there is sufficient metal plated.

A process for electrowinning a metal can include the steps of: a) conveying an anolyte material and a metal chemical feedstock material along an anolyte flow path within an anolyte chamber; b) conveying catholyte material along a catholyte flow path within a catholyte chamber that has a cathode; c) applying an activation electric potential between the anode and a cathode that is sufficient to electrolyze and liberate metal ions from the metal chemical feedstock material in the anolyte chamber, thereby causing a flux of metal ions to migrate through a porous membrane from the anolyte chamber to the catholyte chamber and a metal product to be formed in the catholyte chamber; and while applying the activation electric potential, extracting a feedstock-depleted anolyte material from the anolyte chamber; and extracting an outlet material comprising the catholyte material and the metal product from the catholyte chamber via a catholyte outlet.

A process for electrowinning a metal can include the steps of: a) conveying an anolyte material and a metal chemical feedstock material along an anolyte flow path within an anolyte chamber; b) conveying catholyte material along a catholyte flow path within a catholyte chamber that has a cathode; c) applying an activation electric potential between the anode and a cathode that is sufficient to electrolyze and liberate metal ions from the metal chemical feedstock material in the anolyte chamber, thereby causing a flux of metal ions to migrate through a porous membrane from the anolyte chamber to the catholyte chamber and a metal product to be formed in the catholyte chamber; and while applying the activation electric potential, extracting a feedstock-depleted anolyte material from the anolyte chamber; and extracting an outlet material comprising the catholyte material and the metal product from the catholyte chamber via a catholyte outlet.