Abstract
ABSTRACT This study reveals the reclamation process of gold from a brine-leached solution of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) after the maximum leaching of base metals in a nitric acid medium. The brine leaching performed in the presence of hypochlorite yielded leach liquor of 152 ppm Au, 86 ppm, Cu, and 62 ppm Ni that underwent solvent extraction with tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) in Exxol D80. The gold extraction process was observed to be selective over base metal impurities, while the effect of TBP concentration, equilibrium pH, temperature, and organic-to-aqueous phase ratio was optimized. Experimental results showed the formation of complex into the extraction phase with the negative enthalpy change value of −98.7 kJ/mol. Thiosulphate mobilized stripping of gold from the loaded-TBP could give about 99% recovery efficiency of the solvent extraction process along with a good regeneration of the organic extractant to be re-used.
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