Recovery of copper, selenium, tellirium, tin, golg, silver and load from copper anode slime

The aim of this study was to recovery copper, lead, selenium, tin, silver and gold from anode slime, obtained from a private electrolytic copper factory in Kayseri. At the first stage, copper was taken into solution, and sellenium and tellerium were converted into their elemental states under autoclave conditions. It has been determined that 99.5% of lead was taken into solution by extracting with ammonium acetate solution and all of selenium was separated by extracting with Na2S03 solution. Under autoclave conditions, 85% of tin and all of lead and tellurium were taken into solution with NaOH solution. Tin contents in the residue was recovered with NaOH fusion, which was then used for extraction of tin, tellurium and the residue containing 0.5% initial lead under autoclave conditions. It was observed that 92.6% of tin and all of tellurium and lead were taken into solution. Studies on separating Pb, Sn and Te in solution after extracting with NaOH were carried on. The pH of the solution was adjusted and SO2 gas was passed through it. After this process lead was precipitated as PbSÛ4 while Te as elemental tellurium. Tin remained in solution, which was purified by electrolysis. The mixture of precipitated lead and tellurium was washed with ammonium acetate by which Pb was taken in solution and separated from tellurium. Different processes were employed for preparation of Au and Ag. Processed anot slime was extracted with thiourea, but the yield was not satisfactory. So all of Au and Ag were taken up in solution by extracting with HNO3 and aqua regia. In the case of employing thiourea method, to separate Ag from Au, HNO3 extraction was carried out. Then Au was extracted in 99.7% by treating with thiourea.