METHOD OF DISPOSING OF SPENT ORGANIC COMPLEXING SOLUTIONS CONTAINING CUPROUS HALIDES

摘要

Cu is removed from spent cuprous aluminium tetrahalide complexing solutions by mixing the solutions with at least 0.5 parts of water per part complexing solution to form cuprous halide precipitate in an organic phase and aqueous phase. This is contacted with an oxidizing agent for a sufficient time to oxidize Cu+ to Cu++ before or after separating the phases. The separated aqueous phase containing dissolved cuprec halide is mixed with a metal higher than Cu in the electromotive series and the precipitated cu is recovered. The starting solution may alternatively be contacted with 1-6M non-oxidizing acid obviating the need to add an oxidizing agent.