Abstract

This lab-scale experimental study presents a novel combined hydrometallurgical and electrochemical process for gold and non-precious metals (Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) recovery, from waste printed circuit boards (PCB´s). First, a leaching of pins from PCB´s has been carried out and complete gold extraction was obtained using H2SO4 0.5 M (pH ≈ 1.5)/O2 (1 atm) in the temperature range from 288 to 343 K. The activation energies found showed values of 97.2 kJ∙mol-1, 86 kJ∙mol-1 and 93.6 kJ∙mol-1 for Cu, Ni and Zn respectively. Afterwards, leaching liquor was treated electrochemically in several conditions: selective Cu and Pb removal was performed at pH 1.5 and Ni and Zn removal was also obtained when pH increased to 5. All processes involved here are friendly, and even, final liquor could be reutilized.

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