How do I concentrate precious metal-bearing ceramic powder? (2 replies and 4 comments)

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Maratib
1 year ago
Maratib 1 year ago

Please help! I have 400 mesh ceramic powder bearing precious metals such as gold, rhodium, etc. How can I concentrate? Thanks!

Mike
1 year ago
Mike 1 year ago

Depends a little on the source of the ceramic powders, but it sounds like you are processing a spent catalyst. But the general (simplified) process would be first to burn off any carbon residue on the surface in a high temperature calcination stage (either a rotary kiln (direct fire) or rotary calciner (in direct fire)), then pulverize or grind the material followed by a series of hydrometallurgical steps (leaching and electrowinning) to produce the metals. Then there is the sludge processing to dry and dispose of the main carrier material (probably 90+% of the material).

N
Maratib
1 year ago

Thanks for your reply.

It is a powder of ceramic integrated circuits. What would be the best way to obtain 

a concentrate of this powder (400 mesh)?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Mike
1 year ago

A hydrometalurgic process. Leaching followed by stripping.

N
Maratib
1 year ago

Thank you for your response. The powder weighs a thousand kilograms. If I can get concentrate out of it, the leaching should be simple. How well will the concentrator perform?
Kind Regards

Mike
1 year ago
Mike 1 year ago

Do to many unknown variables, answering your last question ("How well will the concentrator perform?") is impossible to answer.  The processes take some experience to operate well.  In addition water quality plays a big part in performance.  The only way to know is to first do lab tests and then scale up.  But only having a metric tonne makes this difficult as that is close to the volume a reputable lab would need to perform any reliable tests.

Unfortunately this is one of the major hurdles electronic recycling hits, local volumes amke efficent processing very, very dificult.

N
Maratib
1 year ago

Many thanks for your assistance!

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