Electrogenerated chlorine or chloride compound leaching and its apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a precious metal leaching method by electrogenerated chlorine and its apparatus, more precisely, the electroleaching apparatus is composed of two reaction chambers at both sides (right and left) which is divided by central separation membrane; one of the reaction chamber is leaching chamber equipped with chlorine leaching-stable electrode for the electrogeneration of chlorine and stirrer for solution stirring and the other reaction chamber is reduction chamber equipped with electrode used for electrolytic recovery of some parts or entire compounds of leached precious metal, and the apparatus can additionally include separator/purifier for quick recovery of targeted precious metal, if necessary. The present invention provides a very simple leaching method and an apparatus thereof which has high leaching efficiency and enables the recovery of leached precious metal.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . An airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound, comprising a leaching chamber and a leached metal recovery chamber divided by a separation membrane, an anode for electrogeneration of the chlorine or chloride compound in the leaching chamber and a cathode in the leached metal recovery chamber.  
   
   
       13 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising a separator/purifier for separating and sending leached metal in the leaching chamber to the leached metal recovery chamber.  
   
   
       14 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the leaching chamber additionally includes a stirring rod, a stirring motor operating stirring rod, and an airtight cover.  
   
   
       15 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the leaching chamber additionally includes a stirring rod, a stirring motor operating stirring rod, and an airtight cover.  
   
   
       16 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the separation membrane is selected from the group consisting of a porous separation membrane through which leached metal ions or solvent is passed, an ion exchange membrane through which only specific ions are passed, or a combination of the two.  
   
   
       17 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the separation membrane is selected from the group consisting of a porous separation membrane through which leached metal ions or solvent is passed, an ion exchange membrane through which only specific ions are passed, or a combination of the two.  
   
   
       18 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the anode is made by a material that is electrochemically stable under the application of anodic current or voltage for electrogeneration of chlorine or a chloride compound and that is chemically stable under oxidation according to the electrogenerated chlorine or the chloride compound.  
   
   
       19 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the anode is made by a material that is electrochemically stable under the application of anodic current or voltage for electrogeneration of chlorine or a chloride compound and that is chemically stable under oxidation according to the electrogenerated chlorine or the chloride compound.  
   
   
       20 . The airtight electroleaching apparatus for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine or a chloride compound as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the separator/purifier takes charge of separating target metal ions which were separated by solvent extraction or by an ion exchange resin and then sending the metal ions to the leached metal recovery chamber.  
   
   
       21 . An electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine comprising the following steps: 
 adding a leaching sample containing a metal component into an airtight leaching chamber containing chloride ions;    applying current or voltage to an anode in a leaching chamber to electrogenerate chlorine or a chloride compound; and    electrogenerating chlorine and reacting the leaching sample with the chlorine simultaneously.    
   
   
       22 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of recovering leached metal from a cathode.  
   
   
       23 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the anode and cathode are separated by a separation membrane.  
   
   
       24 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 21 , further including the step of stirring the leaching sample with a stirring rod at the anode to promote leaching.  
   
   
       25 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 22 , further including the step of stirring the leaching sample with a stirring rod at the anode to promote leaching.  
   
   
       26 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 23 , further including the step of stirring the leaching sample with a stirring rod at the anode to promote leaching.  
   
   
       27 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the stirring rod is installed in the leaching chamber and then sealed by an airtight cover.  
   
   
       28 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the stirring rod is installed in the leaching chamber and then sealed by an airtight cover.  
   
   
       29 . The electroleaching method for precious metals using electrogenerated chlorine as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the stirring rod is installed in the leaching chamber and then sealed by an airtight cover.