Metal extraction agent and method for extracting metals or metal-containing compounds from liquids

Abstract

The invention relates to a metal extraction agent and to a method for extracting metals and / or metal-containing compounds from liquids. The invention may be used, for example, for the removal of metals from electroplating baths, electroplating wastewaters, fuels such as petrol and diesel, cyanide solutions (and other solutions) used in gold mines and in mining operations for metal recovery, crude oil, wastewaters from the dye industry and chemical industry, and for environmental remediation, and in particular for the recovery of raw materials (e.g. gold, silver, uranium) from oceans, rivers and hot springs worldwide.

Description

[0001] Metal extraction agents and methods for extracting metals or metal-containing compounds from liquids.

[0002] The invention relates to a metal extraction agent and a process for extracting metals and / or metal-containing compounds (e.g., metal-containing dyes) from liquids and is used, for example, in the demetallization of electroplating baths, electroplating wastewater, fuels such as gasoline and diesel, cyanide solutions (and other solutions) used in gold mines and mining for metal extraction, petroleum, wastewater from the chemical / paint industry, as well as in environmental cleaning and especially in the extraction of raw materials (e.g., gold, silver, uranium, etc.) from the oceans, rivers and hot springs of Iceland.

[0003] The invention can be applied in various industries. Examples include precious metal recycling, electroplating, mining, the raw materials industry (e.g., petroleum / gasoline / diesel production), the textile industry, the chemical industry, leather and fur dyeing, the paper industry, the cosmetics industry, and the food industry. In short, the invention can be used wherever there is dissolved metal and / or metal-containing compounds (such as metal-containing dyes) in liquids that were not originally present for whatever reason or that one wishes to recover. The invention can also be used for cleaning lakes and rivers.

[0004] Metal recovery is important for several key reasons and will be explained below using the example of electroplating:

[0005] 1. Resource conservation: Many of the metals used in electroplating, such as nickel, copper, chromium, and gold, are valuable and not available in unlimited quantities. Recovering these metals can conserve natural resources and reduce dependence on mining and raw material imports.

[0006] 2. Cost reduction: Electroplating plants consume significant quantities of metals. Recovery reduces costs because less new metal needs to be purchased. This can lead to considerable savings, especially with expensive precious metals like gold or silver. 3. Environmental protection: Electroplating processes can cause significant environmental pollution if metals enter the wastewater. Recovery minimizes pollutants and reduces the environmental impact. This also reduces the need for expensive wastewater treatment.

[0007] 4. Legal requirements: Many countries have strict environmental regulations that mandate the recovery and proper disposal of metals. Recovery helps to meet these legal requirements and avoid penalties.

[0008] 5. Circular economy: The recovery of metals promotes the concept of a circular economy, in which materials are reused and recycled instead of being disposed of as waste. This reduces waste and contributes to more sustainable production.

[0009] For the reasons stated above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to enable more efficient metal extraction or recovery from liquids. A further object of the invention is the efficient extraction of metal-containing compounds, such as metal-containing dyes, from liquids.

[0010] These problems are solved by the metal extraction agent defined in claim 1 and the method defined in claim 3 for extracting metals or metal-containing compounds from liquids. Advantageous and / or preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0011] The invention is described in detail below, whereby the disclosed specific embodiments of the invention, examples or results are intended only for illustration and are in no way to be interpreted as a limitation of the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

[0012] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as understood by a person skilled in the art in the technical field of the invention. The person skilled in the art may also refer in full to the introductory explanations. Here, liquids are generally understood to be media that continuously deform under the influence of shear forces, i.e., media that can flow. Examples include solutions, suspensions, dispersions, and aerosols.

[0013] The use of definite or indefinite articles (“der”, “die”, “das”, “ein”, “eine”) is to be understood (especially in connection with the claims) as including at least one element or component, unless otherwise stated here or the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0014] The conjunction “or” is to be understood as an inclusive and not an exclusive “or”, i.e. as “and / or”, unless otherwise stated here or the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0015] The use of terms such as "for example", "e.g.", "like" or variations thereof is intended solely to better illustrate the invention and must in no way be interpreted as a limitation of the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

[0016] The phrase "selected from the group consisting of..." is to be understood as including any combination of several elements of the group.

[0017] All numerical values, whether explicitly stated or not, are to be understood as approximate values ​​(at least within the usual margin of error). Furthermore, the specification of value ranges serves only as an abbreviation and, unless otherwise stated, refers to every single value that falls within the range, even if that value is not individually specified.

[0018] Percentage figures refer to the total weight unless otherwise stated or the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0019] The metal extraction solvent is available by a process in which, based on the total weight:

[0020] a) 1.5-2.5 (e.g. 1.5; 1.6; 1.7; 1.8; 1.9; 2.0; 2.1; 2.2; 2.3, 2.4; 2.5) wt.% Cu, 30-35 (e.g.

[0021] 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) wt% CuSO4, 20-25 (e.g. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) wt% NaCl and 39-45 (e.g. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45) wt% distilled water are mixed; b) the mixture obtained in step a) is mixed with 2-3 (e.g. 2; 2.5; 3) wt% HCl in the form of hydrochloric acid until a brown solution is obtained;

[0022] c) the brown solution obtained in step b) is mixed with water until a blue solution with a white precipitate is formed;

[0023] d) Acetylene gas is introduced into the blue solution obtained in step c) until a dark purple suspension is formed;

[0024] e) optionally, the dark violet suspension formed in step d) is allowed to stand until the dark violet crystals have settled at the bottom and the supernatant solution turns blue again; and

[0025] f) optionally, the dark purple crystals are separated.

[0026] The copper used in step a) is not subject to any special restrictions and can be used, for example, in the form of commercially available copper wire, copper shavings, or copper powder. The purity of the copper should advantageously be, for example, 90–99.9 wt% (e.g., 90, 95, 99.9 wt%). Copper powder is particularly suitable because its large surface area allows it to dissolve very quickly in hydrochloric acid. The particle size of the copper powder can be any size, for example, approximately 10–60 μm (such as 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 μm). Such copper powders are commercially available.

[0027] The hydrochloric acid used in step b) is not subject to any particular restrictions as long as the brown solution is formed. However, to dissolve the copper as quickly as possible, it is recommended to use hydrochloric acid with a high HCl concentration, for example, commercially available hydrochloric acid of approximately 37%. It is advantageous to stir the mixture during the dissolution of the copper to ensure thorough mixing. To accelerate the dissolution of the copper, heated hydrochloric acid (e.g., heated to 40, 50, or 60 °C) can be added, or the mixture can be heated after the addition of the hydrochloric acid (e.g., to 40, 50, or 60 °C).

[0028] The amount of water used in step c) is not subject to any particular restrictions as long as the blue solution with a white precipitate (of copper(I) chloride) is formed. As a rough rule of thumb, the amount of water used can be, for example, 15-30 times the volume of the brown solution obtained in step b).

[0029] The acetylene gas used in step d) is not subject to any particular restrictions and can, for example, be obtained from commercially available gas cylinders or produced by reacting calcium carbide with water. The dark purple color results from the microcrystals that form, beginning with the introduction of the acetylene gas and completing after approximately 1 to 5 minutes.

[0030] The formation of the dark violet crystals is a surprising result, because when acetylene gas is introduced into a copper(I) salt solution, a person skilled in the art would expect the formation of a fine precipitate of amorphous (i.e., non-crystalline) brownish-red copper(I) acetylide hydrate (Cu₂C₂•H₂O). Copper(I) acetylide hydrate is a metal-organic salt that, especially in its dry state, is sensitive to heat and shock and can react explosively. In contrast, the dark violet crystals of the invention are not explosive. Investigations into the properties of the dark violet crystals revealed that they surprisingly possess a strong adsorption capacity, significantly stronger than that of activated carbon. Activated carbon is known to be able to absorb a variety of odors, flavors, pollutants, dyes (of the most diverse chemical structures), metals, and especially...

[0031] heavy metals, etc., are adsorbed and thus removed. Activated carbon is an example of a material with an amorphous (non-crystalline) structure, resulting in high porosity and a large surface area, which explains its high adsorption capacity. A person skilled in the art would therefore not expect comparable adsorption properties from crystals, let alone significantly better ones. The significantly better adsorption properties of the dark violet crystals according to the invention are therefore all the more surprising. For example, activated carbon can only adsorb about 1 / 10 of its own weight in gold, whereas the dark violet crystals according to the invention can adsorb approximately their own weight in gold. Since the dark violet crystals are non-explosive, they can be used safely for the extraction of, for example, metals or metal-containing compounds (such as metal-containing dyes).

[0032] In the optional step e), the dark violet suspension (or dispersion) can be left to stand until the dark violet microcrystals formed (the metal extraction agent according to the invention) have settled at the bottom and the supernatant liquid turns blue again.

[0033] In the optional step f), the dark violet crystals formed can be separated using any known method, for example, by filtration, decantation, or centrifugation. Depending on the application of the resulting metal extraction solvent (the dark violet crystals) (e.g., in the demetallization of cyanide-containing solutions during gold extraction due to the evolution of hydrogen cyanide), the violet crystals should then be washed with distilled water to remove the hydrochloric acid until the suspension of distilled water and crystals is pH-neutral.

[0034] For metal extraction, depending on the application, either the hydrochloric acid, dark violet microcrystal suspension obtained in step d) or e) can be used directly, or the microcrystals separated in the optional step f) can be used in aqueous suspension. For example, the microcrystal suspension can be added directly to the extraction solution. The adsorption of the metals contained therein occurs within seconds and is complete when the microcrystals settle to the bottom of the container. Alternatively, for example (similar to a water softening cartridge), a solution to be extracted can be passed over a bed of microcrystals in a container. To release the adsorbed metal ions, the microcrystals are treated in a highly concentrated strong acid (refineries typically use about 50 to 70 wt.) at the refinery that receives them.-% nitric acid (although even fuming (100%) nitric acid can be used) is dissolved. The metals are then separated individually in the refinery using known methods (e.g., by adding a precipitating agent, by chemical reduction, or electrochemical deposition) and recycled.

[0035] Without committing to a specific theoretical explanation, it is assumed that the extraction capacity of the metal extraction agent according to the invention is based on the adsorption of metal ions on the surface of the dark violet microcrystals, followed by precipitation from the liquid to be extracted. Therefore, similar to activated carbon, all sorts of unwanted substances can be adsorbed, including not only metal ions but also, for example, nonmetals, dyes, and organic compounds of any kind. However, the adsorption capacity of the metal extraction agent according to the invention is significantly higher than that of activated carbon, amounting to almost 100% (activated carbon approximately 70%). After precipitation, the precipitate consisting of the metal extraction agent and the adsorbed metal ions (and / or nonmetals, dyes, organic compounds) can be separated by any known method, for example, by filtration, decantation, or centrifugation.

[0036] A particular advantage of the proposed metal extraction agent is that any metal can be extracted from a metal-containing liquid, regardless of its pH (acidic, neutral, alkaline) (see the results in Tables 1 to 8). The initial concentration of the metals in the metal-containing liquid can be arbitrary and ranges, for example, from the ppm range to the respective saturation concentration. The invention offers numerous advantages compared to the current situation in various technical fields:

[0037] electroplating baths

[0038] Current situation:

[0039] • Several work steps are needed to separate the metals.

[0040] • Precipitation by various precipitating agents that only work under certain conditions, such as temperature, metal concentration in the solution and pH value.

[0041] • High energy costs due to heating the electroplating baths.

[0042] • Electricity costs due to electrolysis.

[0043] • The recovery of the metals requires a considerable amount of time.

[0044] Advantages of the invention:

[0045] • No additional energy supply is required.

[0046] • No heat input for the electroplating bath and no electricity costs for electrolysis.

[0047] • Fast chemical reaction without fumes or gases.

[0048] • No evaporation is required to achieve the necessary metal concentration in the solution.

[0049] • Simple procedure (no need to adjust temperature or precise pH).

[0050] • Removes 100% of all metals from the solutions.

[0051] • Lower CO2 emissions.

[0052] Electroplating sink

[0053] Current situation

[0054] • High energy costs due to the evaporation of the liquid to achieve the necessary concentration of the metal in the solution.

[0055] • Time-consuming divorce via electrolysis.

[0056] • Often unprofitable for smaller businesses.

[0057] Advantages of the invention

[0058] • Rapid chemical reaction

[0059] • No heat input for the liquid and no electricity costs for electrolysis • Simple process (no setting of temperature or precise pH value).

[0060] • Removes 100% of all metals from the solutions.

[0061] • No additional chemicals.

[0062] • Lower CO2 emissions.

[0063] Electroplating wastewater

[0064] Current situation

[0065] • The wastewater is stored in 9 cubic meter containers.

[0066] • The metal is separated from the liquid by chemical precipitation.

[0067] • Requires many chemicals (sodium hydroxide, iron chloride, hydrogen peroxide, etc.).

[0068] • Toxic hydroxide sludge is produced.

[0069] • The production of hydroxide sludge is cost-intensive (precipitation, separation of liquid, drying).

[0070] • Harmful to the environment.

[0071] • High costs for the disposal of the hydroxide sludge.

[0072] • High losses due to precious metals in the hydroxide sludge.

[0073] • Lengthy processes for reprocessing such hydroxide sludge

[0074] Advantages of the invention

[0075] • No chemicals are needed to demetallize the wastewater.

[0076] • No hydroxide sludge is produced.

[0077] • No loss of metals through the hydroxide sludge.

[0078] • Easy recovery of metals from the resulting precipitate.

[0079] • No additional energy input.

[0080] • Lower CO2 emissions.

[0081] Demetallization of fuels (gasoline and diesel)

[0082] Current situation:

[0083] The demetallization of fuels such as gasoline or diesel is an important process in refinery technology to improve the purity of the fuel and to optimize engine performance and the lifespan of catalysts.

[0084] 1. Purpose of demetallization: Metals such as vanadium, nickel, iron, lead, and others can occur naturally in crude oil and find their way into refined products. These metals can disrupt catalytic processes and form corrosive combustion products, which can lead to damage to engines and exhaust aftertreatment systems.

[0085] 2. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS): Although this process is primarily used to remove sulfur from fuels, it also helps to remove some metallic contaminants. During HDS, fuels are treated at high temperatures and pressures in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst (typically based on molybdenum or cobalt). Metals and sulfur compounds react with hydrogen and are converted into less harmful substances that can then be removed.

[0086] 3. Use of adsorbents: In some cases, special adsorbents are used to remove metals from fuels. These materials may include metal oxides or other sorptive media that attract metal ions from the fuel.

[0087] 4. Filtration techniques: Physical filtration can also be used to remove metal-containing particles. This can include filters and centrifuges, which serve to extract solid particles and metal-containing residues from the fuel.

[0088] 5. Chemical treatment: Sometimes special chemical reagents are added that react specifically with metals to convert them into a form that can be more easily removed.

[0089] 6. Distillation and further refining: Various fractionation and distillation processes can help to separate fractions with different boiling points and metal concentrations, with the heavier and possibly more metal-rich parts being further processed or used otherwise.

[0090] Advantages of the invention

[0091] The current fuel source consists of petroleum, which contains metals also found in gasoline and diesel. Even "unleaded gasoline" still contains residual lead and other harmful metals that are released into the environment during combustion. By applying the invention, fuel can be made completely metal-free.

[0092] This significantly reduces the exhaust gases and pollutants produced during combustion. The invention not only removes residual metal particles from the fuel, but also organic components.

[0093] Gold mines and mining

[0094] Current situation

[0095] Gold and other metals are still extracted through mining today. The exact method varies depending on the geographical location and the specific characteristics of the environment. The metal is extracted as ore from the rocks, placed in cyanide solutions, and then the dissolved precious metal is extracted in several steps. This process is lengthy and demanding, accompanied by considerable losses and environmental impact. To minimize these losses, the solutions undergo repeated processing. This is necessary because current methods can only extract approximately 70% of the precious metal from the cyanide solution. The remaining 30% requires repeated extraction steps.

[0096] Advantages of the invention

[0097] By applying the invention, metals can be extracted from a medium (such as a solution) with an efficiency of up to 100%, thereby significantly shortening the entire work process. It is no longer necessary to process batches multiple times.

[0098] Demetallization of crude oil

[0099] Current situation

[0100] Crude oil contains numerous metals and precious metals. Currently, extracting these metals from the oil is not economically viable. During the refining process, the oil is separated into heavy fuel oil and crude oil, with the metals remaining in the heavy fuel oil. This heavy fuel oil is used as fuel for power plants, industrial facilities, and shipping, meaning the metals it contains are ultimately burned along with the fuel, damaging the environment.

[0101] Advantages of the invention

[0102] By applying the invention, metals can be extracted from crude oil during the refining process, resulting in valuable metal recoveries. This prevents the metals from entering the heavy oil and eliminates combustion, thus preventing the release of pollutants into the atmosphere.

[0103] Some oil deposits contain particularly high concentrations of rare and precious metals. Until now, extracting these metals from oil has not been economically viable. However, this invention makes it economically viable. Wastewater from the paint industry

[0104] Current situation

[0105] The textile industry is the world's largest producer of wastewater. In Germany alone, 40 million cubic meters of wastewater from the textile industry are generated annually. Dyeing just one pair of jeans requires approximately 7,000 to 8,000 liters of water. To purify this water, it first undergoes a biological process, followed by chemical precipitation. After biological treatment and chemical precipitation, about 50% of the pollutants and dyes remain in the water. The water is then diluted again and subsequently discharged into wastewater treatment plants. There, it undergoes further processing and purification before finally seeping into the ground and flowing into rivers.

[0106] Advantages of the invention

[0107] • By applying the invention, it is possible to remove pollutants, dyes, especially metal-containing dyes, and metals from the water without having to carry out elaborate pretreatments.

[0108] • The water can be purified directly in the dye works, thus relieving the burden on wastewater treatment plants and avoiding large quantities of wastewater. By applying the invention, the purified water can be reused in the work process. In this way, no wastewater is released into the environment, as the water undergoes a closed cycle and can be reused.

[0109] Air and environmental purification

[0110] Current situation:

[0111] In Stuttgart and other cities, air purification filter columns are used to improve urban air quality, especially in areas with high traffic volume. These columns essentially function like large air filters, absorbing and filtering harmful pollutants from the air. The filter columns work as described below:

[0112] 1. Structure and Design

[0113] Filter columns are typically tall, column-shaped structures equipped with specific filter materials. They are strategically positioned to draw in air from their immediate surroundings. These columns can be installed both outdoors and indoors to improve air quality on busy streets, in public squares, or in tunnels.

[0114] 2. Filter technology

[0115] The filters used in the columns are often multi-stage and contain various filter media:

[0116] • Pre-filter: Captures larger particles such as dust and dirt. This helps to extend the lifespan of the subsequent finer filters.

[0117] • Fine particle filters: Often HEPA filters or similar materials capable of removing very fine particles from the air. These filters are effective at reducing particles such as PM2.5, which can be harmful to health.

[0118] • Activated carbon filters: Used to adsorb gases and odors.

[0119] Activated carbon is particularly effective in removing nitrogen oxides and other harmful gases typically associated with car exhaust.

[0120] Advantages of the invention

[0121] • The crystals obtained according to the invention can be easily introduced into the filter columns so that metal particles can be extracted from the air.

[0122] • The efficiency is higher than with activated carbon filters.

[0123] A model calculation for a typical electroplating company demonstrates the enormous savings potential through the application of the invention:

[0124] Annual turnover: approx. €100 million Employees: approx. 100 Wastewater per year: 145,000,000 L Hydroxide sludge per year: 15,000 kg Disposal costs for hydroxide sludge per ton: €4,000

[0125] One ton of hydroxide sludge contains approximately 70 kg of metals, of which 0.67 kg is gold and 6 kg is silver.

[0126] Every year, this company loses 10.05 kg of gold and 90 kg of silver in its wastewater and hydroxide sludge, resulting in disposal costs of €60,000. This calculation shows that the company pays €60,000 annually for the disposal of its hydroxide sludge. Furthermore, precious metals worth €757,800 are lost with the hydroxide sludge.

[0127] In Germany, there are approximately 30 companies of this size, while in Europe there are about 35 and in America about 100. In Asia, there are around 250 comparable companies, with the majority of them based in China.

[0128] Worldwide, there are approximately 415 companies of the size of the example company, which together produce approximately 6,225,000 kg of hydroxide sludge.

[0129] The savings achieved through the application of the invention amount to:

[0130] • Calculated for Germany: €22,710,000

[0131] • Calculated for Europe: €49,205,000

[0132] • Calculated for America: €75,780,000

[0133] • Calculated for Asia: €189,250,000

[0134] • Worldwide: €314,155,000

[0135] Extraction of raw materials from the oceans, rivers and lakes

[0136] Researchers at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, along with other scientists, estimate that approximately 20 million tons of gold lie in the world's oceans. However, economically viable methods of gold extraction have not yet been found. In certain locations on our planet, the gold concentration is up to 500,000 times higher than in the oceans, such as in the hot springs of Iceland. The gold-bearing water in these Icelandic springs has the highest gold concentration in the world. Measurements taken in the Red Sea have also revealed gold concentrations up to 100,000 times higher than in other oceans. Using this invention, traces of gold have already been successfully extracted from 100 liters of water from German rivers. Therefore, it is expected that this invention could enable the economically viable extraction of gold from oceans and rivers worldwide.Furthermore, during the development of the invention, it was discovered that uranium can also be extracted from liquids. Seawater is estimated to contain around four billion tons of uranium, significantly more than gold. According to calculations, this could cover humanity's energy needs for the next 10,000 years. Several research groups worldwide have tested new materials in recent years to filter uranium from seawater. The yield has been low so far. However, some researchers see economic potential in marine uranium.

[0137] The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention. These examples are intended only to illustrate the invention and must not be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

[0138] The percentages by weight refer to the weight of the entire mixture.

[0139] Production example: Metal extraction solvent

[0140] Ingredients:

[0141] Copper powder: 10 g, grain size 40 pm, purity: 99.9%

[0142] Copper sulfate (CUSO4): 170 g

[0143] Sodium chloride (NaCl): 120 g

[0144] Water: 200 ml (distilled) and hydrochloric acid (37%): 10 ml, mix, heat liquid to about 60 °C

[0145] Production of the metal extraction agent according to the invention:

[0146] 1. Mix copper powder, copper sulfate and sodium chloride dry.

[0147] 2. Add the heated hydrochloric acid solution to the powder mixture and stir until a homogeneous brown solution is formed.

[0148] 3. Add the resulting brown solution to approximately 5 L of distilled water and stir until a blue solution with a white precipitate is formed.

[0149] 4. Produce acetylene gas from calcium carbide and water and introduce it into the blue solution.

[0150] 5. Stir the solution continuously during the gas supply.

[0151] 6. Continue the gas injection until the solution turns dark purple, then stop.

[0152] 7. Separate the formed dark violet crystals by filtration, wash three times with distilled water until the wash water is pH neutral.

[0153] 8. Separate the dark violet crystals that have formed from the water by decanting.

[0154] 9. A suspension of dark purple crystals and distilled water is formed. 10. The dark purple crystals remain in the distilled water to prevent them from oxidizing in the air (oxygen). Metal extraction examples

[0155] In the following, "nn" means "not detectable".

[0156] The quantitative metal analyses were performed by a contract analysis laboratory using the ICP method. The ICP method (ICP: inductively coupled plasma) is particularly well-suited for determining element concentrations in the ppm range and is frequently used in routine and materials analysis. In short, the sample is introduced as a fine aerosol into a high-temperature argon plasma. This excites the atoms and ions of the elements, causing them to emit characteristic light spectra, which are then analyzed using a spectrometer.

[0157] First attempt

[0158] (Wastewater)

[0159] Before, afterwards

[0160] Au Ag Au Ag Alkaline 3.5 mg / L 23.3 g / L no nn

[0161]

[0162] Acid 0 3.0 g / L nn nn

[0163] Second try

[0164] (Wastewater)

[0165] Vaher After

[0166] Au Ag Au Ag Alkaline 1.1 low L 34.4 g / L nn nn Acidic nn nn nn nn

[0167]

[0168] Bottom outlet 8.5 nig L 39.6 g / L nn nn

[0169] "Bottom drain" is a term commonly used in the electroplating industry for electroplating wastewater. Here, it serves as an example of a solution as it arises in practical electroplating, which can therefore contain impurities in addition to the metal ions to be extracted. As can be seen, the extraction result is unaffected. "AG bath" refers to a silver-containing bath, such as that produced during silver extraction using cyanide.

[0170] Third attempt

[0171] (Wastewater)

[0172] Foreign meta

[0173] Before, afterwards

[0174] Acidic Alkaline Soil Acidic Alkaline Soil

[0175] Cu 2.1 g L 16.58 g L 12.2 g L 10.4 g / L 1 Fe 10.4 g / L 1 Ni 8.71 g / L 1 Ni 8.71 g / L | Pb concentration was 180.17 mg / L J

[0176]

[0177] The copper concentration was 3.83 g L 1.64 g / L J

[0178] Fourth Attempt

[0179] (AG-Cyanidic bath)

[0180] Ag Cu Fe Ni Zn

[0181] Ag Bad 36.6 g / L 4.1 g / 1 18.4 mg 1 1.2 g / L 0.4 g / L Solution 1 2.4 g / L 1.7 g / L nn 76.3 mg L 3 mg L Solution 2 nn W nn 19 mg L nn

[0182]

[0183] Case 3 nn nn nn nn

[0184] During the case, the dark-violet microcrystalline suspension is simply added to the AG bath. The metal ions are immediately adsorbed and sink with the microcrystals on the soil.

[0185] The experiments above show that the metal extraction agent according to the invention yields excellent extraction results with acidic, alkaline, and neutral media containing metal ions. The same applies to cyanide-containing media, such as those obtained, for example, during gold and silver extraction. Tables 1 to 8 below show the extraction results of various metals and non-metals using the invention.

[0186] For this purpose, specially prepared laboratory cyanide solutions, hydrochloric acid solutions and alkali solutions with defined levels or concentrations of metals and non-metals were used.

[0187] Table 1 shows, for example, that an initial gold concentration of, say, 2290 ppm can be reduced to 6 ppm by applying the invention, i.e., gold can be almost completely extracted. Other metals or non-metals can even be extracted to 0.0 ppm (i.e., below their respective detection limits).

[0188] Table 4 shows, for example, that rhodium can be extracted from 420 mg / L to 1 mg / L.

[0189] Table 5 shows, for example, that iridium can be extracted from 623 mg / L to 3 mg / L. Table 1:

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[0196]

[0197] 4C 'h Tabelle 2:

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[0203]

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[0205]

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[0209] 35 G a 3.5; O. H C?

[0210] X r >mrix.iu.n O |,.(h *. J

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[0217] X Rii HubldiuK ' 3,5 XMII (f it)

[0218]

[0219] 36 K’ Slwrhum 2,4 pom C?

[0220] 5 ’ Tlimm и,y xi>i o.! < W Z? Z.rkt-t < 1,0 mm (C 3)

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[0224]

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[0234]

[0235] I. M Tabelle 3:

[0236] Element Startlösung 1 Ende 1 Einheit Ag 1 <1 mg / L AI 55 1 mg / L As 2310 1 mg / L Au 15 1 mg / L Co 10 2 mg / L Cr 16 3 mg / L Cu 4015 3 mg / L Fe 49562 3 mg / L Ir 25 <1 mg / L Ni 160 3 mg / L Pb 106 1 mg / L Pd 1 1 mg / L Pt 16 <1 mg / L Re 1 1 mg / L Rh <1 <1 mg / L Ru <1 <1 mg / L Sb 1 1 mg / L Se <1 <1 mg / L Si 1 3 mg / L Sn 1 3 mg / L Te 1 3 mg / L

[0237]

[0238] Zn 9000 3 mg / L Table 4:

[0239] Element Starting Solution 2 End 2 Unit Ag - mg / L AI - mg / L As - mg / L Au - mg / L Co mg / L Cr - mg / L Cu - mg / L Fe mg / L Ir - mg / L Ni mg / L Pb - mg / L Pd - mg / L Pt - mg / L Re - mg / L Rh 420 1 mg / L Ru - mg / L Sb mg / L Se mg / L Si «• mg / L Sn « mg / L Te - mg / L

[0240]

[0241] Zn - mg / L Table 5:

[0242] Element Starting Solution 3 End 3 Unit Ag <1 <1 mg / L Al <1 3 mg / L As <1 <1 mg / L Au 236 <1 mg / L Co <1 <1 mg / L Cr <1 <1 mg / L Cu 1 3 mg / L Fe 2 3 mg / L Ir 623 3 mg / L Ni 20 3 mg / L Pb _ 90 _ <1 _ mg / L Pd 72 2 mg / L Pt 260 3 mg / L Re <1 <1 mg / L Rh 1859 3 mg / L Ru 45 1 mg / L Sb 386 1 mg / L Se <1 <1 mg / L Si 12 2 mg / L Sn <1 1 mg / L Te <1 1 mg / L

[0243]

[0244] Zn <1 1 mg / L Table 6:

[0245]

[0246] Table 7:

[0247] Element Starting Solution 5 End 5 Unit Ag 530 <1 mg / L AI 50 3 mg / L As 60 3 mg / L Au 98 <1 mg / L Co 150 2 mg / L Cr 230 3 mg / L Cu 1554 3 mg / L Fe 8030 1 mg / L Ir 96 1 mg / L Ni 2504 3 mg / L Pb 641 1 mg / L Pd 65 <1 mg / L Pt 396 1 mg / L Re 1 <1 mg / L Rh 88 1 mg / L Ru 120 1 mg / L Sb * mg / L Se 16 <1 mg / L Si 36 3 mg / L Sn 17 1 mg / L Te 502 3 mg / L

[0248]

[0249] Zn 5 2 mg / L Table 8:

[0250] Element Starting Solution 6 End 6 Unit

[0251] Ag 1010 <1 mg / L

[0252] AI •> — mg / L

[0253] As mg / L

[0254] Au 999 <1 mg / L

[0255] Co mg / L

[0256] Cr - mg / L

[0257] Cu * mg / L

[0258] Fe - mg / L

[0259] Ir 1003 <1 mg / L

[0260] Ni - - mg / L

[0261] Pb 1000 <1 mg / L

[0262] Pd 9992 <1 mg / L

[0263] Pt 1005 <1 mg / L

[0264] Re - - mg / L

[0265] Rh 1010 <1 mg / L

[0266] Ru 1008 <1 mg / L

[0267] Sb - - mg / L

[0268] Se - mg / L

[0269] Si - mg / L

[0270] Sn - mg / L

[0271] Te - - mg / L

[0272]

[0273] Zn - mg / L

[0274] It is clear to those skilled in the technical field of the invention that the representative embodiments and details of the invention described above are intended only to illustrate the present invention, and that various modifications and alterations can be made without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

Claims 1. Metal extraction solvents obtained by a process in which, based on the total weight: a) Mix 1.5-2.5 wt.% Cu, 30-35 wt.% CuSO4, 20-25 wt.% NaCl and 39-45 wt.% distilled water; b) the mixture obtained in step a) is mixed with 2-3 wt% HCl in the form of hydrochloric acid until a brown solution is formed; c) the brown solution obtained in step b) is mixed with water until a blue solution with a white precipitate is formed; d) Acetylene gas is introduced into the blue solution obtained in step c) until a dark purple suspension is formed; e) optionally, the dark violet suspension formed in step d) is allowed to stand until the dark violet crystals have settled at the bottom and the supernatant solution turns blue again; and f) optionally, the dark purple crystals are separated.

2. Metal extraction agent according to claim 1, wherein in step a), based on the total weight, 1.95 wt.% Cu, 33.22 wt.% CuSO4, 23.45 wt.% NaCl and 39.05 wt.% distilled water are used and in step b) 2.33 wt.% HCl is used.

3. A method for extracting metals or metal-containing compounds from liquids, wherein a metal extraction agent according to claim 1 or 2 is brought into contact with the liquid containing metals or metal-containing compounds and the resulting precipitate is separated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metals are selected from the group consisting of precious metals, rare earth metals, nickel, cobalt, copper, iron, chromium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, zinc, tin, germanium, gallium, rubidium, titanium, lead, zirconium, tungsten, cesium, thorium, uranium and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the precious metals are selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium, rhodium and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the rare earth metals are selected from the group consisting of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, europium, terbium, lanthanum, cerium, yttrium and combinations thereof.

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