Method of recovering copper

Abstract

In a method of recovering copper from an industrial waste sludge or liquid, a first treatment agent and/or a second treatment agent is added into a waste feed to separate the coagulants therefrom. A bluish solution and a tail gas are thereby obtained. Alternatively, an acidic etching waste solution is added instead of the first treatment agent and/or the second treatment agent into the waste feed. Then, a converting agent/converting aid agent is added in the bluish solution. Thereafter, the solution is filtrated to obtain a solid copper oxide, a filtrate and a tail oxidizing gas. The filtrate is saturated by the aforementioned gases and fed back to the waste feed. The copper oxide thereby obtained has a high copper content compared to the conventional methods. All of the other resulting products are recycled without being disposed of in the environment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of recovering copper, comprising: 
 adding a converting agent/converting aid agent in a copper-containing aqueous solution to generate a first oxidizing gas and a suspension; and    performing a solid/liquid separation of the suspension to obtain a copper oxide solid and a liquid, wherein the liquid is saturated with the first oxidizing gas to form a recovered solution with an oxidizing ability.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper oxide solid has a content of up to about 40 wt. % of copper.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper-containing aqueous solution mainly includes compounds containing Cu 2+ , and Fe 3+  or Fe 2+ .  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper-containing aqueous solution is an industrial waste liquid without addition of coagulant.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper-containing aqueous solution is an industrial waste liquid that is produced after a first treatment agent and/or a second treatment agent have been added in an untreated industrial waste and then a coagulant has been removed therefrom.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a second oxidizing gas is further generated after the coagulant has been added in the untreated industrial waste.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the yield ratio of the second oxidizing gas to the first oxidizing gas is about 8.5:1.5-9.5:0.5.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second oxidizing gas is used to further saturate the liquid separated from the suspension.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the recovered solution saturated with the first and/or second oxidizing gases is a clear and colorless liquid.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second oxidizing gases includes oxygen free radicals that is one or more selected from OH., SOx., ClOx., and combination thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first treatment agent and the second treatment agent are either identical or different, and individually selected from a sulfuric acid, a nitric acid, a hydrogen chloride, or an oxidant.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the oxidant includes potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate, potassium manganate, sodium manganate, sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, potassium chlorate, or sodium chlorate.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the converting agent includes water and basic salts selected from potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or calcium hydroxide.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the converting aid agent includes water and a metal oxide selected from calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and a mixture of more than two thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper-containing aqueous solution is concentrated before the converting agent/converting aid agent is added in the copper-containing solution.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the first treatment agent and/or the second treatment agent is in a range of 20-800 parts by weight based on the total weight of the copper-containing waste sludge.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first treatment agent and/or the second treatment agent is an acidic etching waste solution.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the acidic etching waste solution includes copper sulfate, copper borate, copper borofluoride, copper pyrophsphate, copper nitrate, copper chloride and the like, and any etching waste solution.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the amount of the acidic etching waste solution is in a range of 50-1000 parts by weight based on the total weight of the copper-containing waste sludge.  
     
     
         20 . A method of recovering copper, comprising: 
 adding a first treatment agent and/or a second treatment agent in an industrial waste sludge containing a coagulant to generate a second oxidizing gas, a clear liquid and a residue;    separating the coagulant from the industrial waste sludge to obtain a copper-containing aqueous solution;    adding a converting agent/converting aid agent in the copper-containing aqueous solution to generate a first oxidizing gas and a suspension; and    performing a solid/liquid separation of the suspension to obtain a copper oxide solid and a liquid, wherein the liquid is saturated the first and second oxidizing gases to form a recovered solution with an oxidizing ability.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the copper oxide solid has a content of up to about 40 wt. % of copper.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the yield ratio of the second oxidizing gas to the first oxidizing gas is about 8.5:1.5-9.5:0.5.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first treatment agent and the second treatment agent are either identical or different, and are individually selected from a sulfuric acid, nitric acid, a hydrogen chloride, or an oxidant.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the converting agent includes water and basic salts selected from potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or calcium hydroxide.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the converting aid agent includes water and a metal oxide selected from calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, or a mixture of more than two thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the coagulant includes Al 2 (SO 4 ) 2 .18H 2 O, Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , FeSO 4 .7H 2 O, FeCl 3 .6H 2 O, Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 .24H 2 O, Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , K 2 SO 4 .24H 2 O, Ca(OH) 2 , CaO, Na 2 CO 3 .10H 2 O, Na 2 OAl 2 O 3 , MgO, Na 2 CO 3 , NaHCO 3 , NaOH, active silicic acid and polymeric electrolytes.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first treatment agent and/or the second treatment agent are 20-800 wt. % based on the total weight of the copper-containing waste sludge.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first treatment agent and/or the second treatment agent is an acidic etching waste solution.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the acidic etching waste solution includes copper sulfate, copper borate, copper borofluoride, copper pyrophsphate, copper nitrate, copper chloride and any etching waste solution.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the amount of the acidic etching waste solution is in a range of 50-1000 parts by weight based on the total weight of the copper-containing waste sludge.