Patent · US Expired

Hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of lead

US4276084A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
5References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 1, 1979
Grant dateJun 30, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 1, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P10/20
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A hydrometallurgical process is used to recover lead from a lead-bearing ore concentrate. The lead-bearing ore concentrate is leached with a solution of cupric chloride in order to precipitate lead as lead chloride, produce elemental sulfur and substantially leave the balance of the ore concentrate sulfides in unreacted form. The residue of the cupric chloride leach is leached with a brine solution in order to solubilize the lead chloride to the exclusion of the balance of the residue. Thereafter, the lead chloride is crystallized from the brine solution. Elemental lead may be obtained by the reduction of the lead chloride crystals. The present process avoids air pollution problems inherent to smelting processes, allows for a high recovery of lead of 97% or greater and allows for the direct production of a high purity lead.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.