Metals recovery from industrial wastes

The aim of this experimental work was to demonstrate a technical feasibility of a treatment for valuable metal recovery from electronic industrial sludge. A sulphuric acid leaching process, coupled by electrowinning, has been proposed in order to reduce the waste material and to recover metals such as Cu and Ni. The recovery after leaching was always of 89-98%. The copper deposition to the cathode has been performed in acid condition whereas the nickel deposition in basic condition, with a Faraday yield approximately of 98% for both elements.