ELECTRORECOVERY OF GOLD AND SILVER FROM THIOSULFATE SOLUTIONS.

摘要

The present invention is related to the mining and mineral-treating industry and materials containing gold and silver. The invention specifically refers to a process for the recovery of gold and silver from solutions of copper thiosulfate, by a self-generated electrolysis process. The advantage of the foregoing invention over the state-of-the-art processes is that this process has a higher speed than that obtained by cementation with cooper, without using electric power. This process is characterised in that it is performed in a self-generation electrochemical cell, where anode and cathode are connected in short circuit; and the anodic and cathodic compartments are separated by means of a ionic exchange membrane. In addition, the copper anode and the resulting solution acting as an anolyth, are useful for maintaining the copper solution stable, thus preserving the lixiviating power of the thiosulfate solutions, and flowing back the same to a new lixiviation step.