METHOD OF PROCESSING MATERIALS CONTAINING PLATINUM METALS AND SILVER Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: nonferrous metallurgy and precious metal technology.

SUBSTANCE: essence of invention resides in that materials containing platinum metals and silver, in particular platinum metal concentrates, are processed according to technology comprising dissolution of material in aqueous hydrochloric acid under effect of direct current to give solution of platinum metals and silver chloride precipitate, current density being 1500-3000 A/m² and ratio of chloride ion in solution to amount of starting material being determined by equation: (1.0-1.3) /100, where Φ = (0.97*C_Ag + 2.66*C_pt), C_Ag content of silver in starting material, %, and C_pt summary content of platinum metals in starting concentrate, %. Invention allows performing development of concentrates of platinum metals by preparing solutions thereof, which are further processed to give selective concentrates of platinum metals or affined metals, and precipitated silver chloride. materials can also be processed containing platinum metals in the form of their chalcogenides.

EFFECT: accelerated dissolution of starting material, simplified processing, increased degree of platinum metal recovery, and avoided use of gaseous chlorine in concentrate development operation.

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