Extraction of metals

Abstract

The present invention provides a substantially inert environment within a cathode chamber that is capable of generating a metallic element M from a metal ion M z+ .

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for production of a metal, comprising:
 providing a substantially inert environment within which a metallic element M is generated from a metal ion M z+ .   
     
     
         2 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inert environment is a result of skin effect on a conductive medium.   
     
     
         3 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein:
 an applied current generating the skin effect on the conductive medium propels the metallic element M onto a surface of the conductive medium.   
     
     
         4 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein:
 metallic element M is propelled at a rate that is faster than a diffusion rate and a reaction rate of the metallic element M with the conductive medium.   
     
     
         5 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 metal ions M z+  are generated from an electrolyte solution.   
     
     
         6 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the electrolyte solution contains a metal component of the metal.   
     
     
         7 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the electrolyte solution is an aqueous based electrolyte solution.   
     
     
         8 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the aqueous based electrolyte solution is one of an inorganic metal salt solution and an organic metal salt solution.   
     
     
         9 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the metal component is an active metal that has a more negative electrochemical potential than a potential of hydrogen evolution during electrolysis.   
     
     
         10 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the active metal is a cation component of one of the inorganic metal salt solution and the organic metal salt solution.   
     
     
         11 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the metallic element M is an active metal.   
     
     
         12 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the metal ions M z+  are generated from an electrolyte solution.   
     
     
         13 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber comprised of a conductive medium.   
     
     
         15 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber comprised of a conductive liquid.   
     
     
         16 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber, with the cathode chamber comprised of:   a conductive liquid metal; and   a cathode electrode.   
     
     
         17 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein:
 an applying current to the cathode electrode results in:
   M z+   +ze =M 
   where M z+  is the metal ion, z is metal valence, and e is the electron charge of the cathode electrode.   
     
     
         18 . A metal extractor, comprising:
 a substantially inert environment that receives a metal ion M z+ , generating a metallic element M.   
     
     
         19 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber comprised of a conductive medium.   
     
     
         21 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber comprised of a conductive liquid.   
     
     
         22 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the inert environment constitutes a cathode chamber, with the cathode chamber comprised of:   a conductive liquid metal; and   a cathode electrode.   
     
     
         23 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein:
 an applying current to the cathode electrode results in:
   M z+   +ze =M 
   where M z+  is the metal ion, z is metal valence, and e is the electron charge of the cathode electrode.   
     
     
         24 . A device, comprising:
 an ion exchange processor with an induced, substantially inert environment within which is received a metal ion M z+ , generating a metallic element M as follows:
   M z+   +ze =M 
   where z is metal valence, and e is the electron charge.   
     
     
         25 . The device as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the inert environment is a result of skin effect on a conductive medium.   
     
     
         26 . The device as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein:
 an applied current generates the skin effect on the conductive medium propels the metallic element M onto a surface of the conductive medium.   
     
     
         27 . The device as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein:
 metallic element is propelled at a rate that is faster than a diffusion rate and a reaction rate of the metallic element M with the conductive medium.   
     
     
         28 . The device as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein:
 metal ions M z+  are generated from an electrolyte solution.   
     
     
         29 . The device as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the electrolyte solution contains a metal component of the metal that has a more negative electrochemical potential than a potential of hydrogen evolution during electrolysis.   
     
     
         30 . A method for production of a metal, comprising:
 providing a substantially inert environment within which a metallic element M is generated from a metal ion M z+ .   
     
     
         31 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein:
 the inert environment is a result of a conductive, but chemically neutral solution that circulates within a cathode chamber, which is neutral in relation to the metal ion M z+  and the metallic element M.   
     
     
         32 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein:
 cathode chamber is defined by a cathode electrode at a first side that has an expanse that is substantially equal to that of a cathode ion exchange membrane at a second side, with the conductive chemically neutral solution circulating in between through the cathode chamber.   
     
     
         33 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein:
 metal ion M z+  pass through the cathode ion exchange membrane, the circulating conductive chemically neutral solution, and are deposited onto the cathode electrode as metallic element M, where they are extracted from the cathode chamber by the conductive chemically neutral solution.   
     
     
         34 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 32 , wherein:
 span between the cathode electrode and the cathode ion exchange membrane is approximately less than about 1.5 mm.   
     
     
         35 . The method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein:
 the circulating conductive chemically neutral solution is comprised of solvents saturated with metal-salts.   
     
     
         36 . A metal extraction method for production of a metal, comprising:
 providing an aqueous electrolyte solution containing a chloride of the metal;   processing the aqueous electrolyte solution containing the chloride of the metal, and generating metal ions M z+ ;   deionizing the metal ion M z+  into a metallic element M,   storing the metallic element M in a substantially inert environment;   processing the metallic element M into a powdered metal.   
     
     
         37 . The metal extraction method for production of a metal as set forth in  claim 36 ,
 wherein:   the extracted metal is in a powder form.   
     
     
         38 . A metal extractor, comprising:
 an electro-dialysis module that uses an aqueous electrolyte solution containing a metal component generates metal ions M z+  that pass through a cation ion exchange membrane and into a substantially inert environment that constitutes a cathode chamber;   the metal ions M z+  are electro-deposited as metallic elements M as follows:
     ze   − +M z+ =M 
   
       where z is an integer representing metal valance and e −  is electron charge of a cathode electrode, with the electron charge resulting from an application of current to the cathode electrode. 
     
     
         39 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein:
 the metal component of the aqueous electrolyte solution is a chloride of the metal.   
     
     
         40 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein:
 the aqueous electrolyte solution containing the metal component is stored in a reservoir.   
     
     
         41 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein:
 the electro-dialysis module is comprised of three chambers and further includes an anode electrode with both the cathode and anode electrodes coupled with electric power source.   
     
     
         42 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 39 , wherein:
 the metal ions M z+  are propelled to a surface of the cathode conductive liquid as a result of application of current to the cathode, and are removed from the cathode via removal circuit-loop that uses a removal medium that does not react with the metal, and further processed and extracted as a metallic element M.   
     
     
         43 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 43 , wherein:
 the conductive liquid of the cathode chamber is a liquid metal comprised of material that enable generation of skin effect at a surface thereof due to application of current.   
     
     
         44 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein:
 the cation exchange membrane includes a binding surface facing the collecting chamber for unidirectional movement of the metal ions M z+  from the first chamber and into the collecting chamber, and separation of the conductive liquid in the cathode chamber form the first chamber.   
     
     
         45 . A metal extractor, comprising:
 a substantially inert environment within which a metallic element M is generated from a metal ion M z+ ;   the inert environment is a result of a conductive, but chemically neutral solution that circulates within a cathode chamber, which is neutral in relation to the metal ion M z+  and the metallic element M.   
     
     
         46 . The metal extractor as set forth in  claim 46 , wherein:
 a conductive liquid of the cathode chamber is a non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing methanol with metallic salt additives that dissolve in the methanol.   
     
     
         47 . A metal extractor, comprising:
 an ion exchange processor separated into one or more cation ion exchange processing cells and an anion ion exchange processing unit;   with the one or more cation ion exchange processing cells having a cathode chamber with a substantially inert environment within which a metallic element M is generated from a metal ion M z+ ;   the inert environment is a result of a conductive, but chemically neutral solution that circulates within a cathode chamber, which is neutral in relation to the metal ion M z+  and the metallic element M.