Small sized pilot scale experiments on the recovery cooper and nickel hydroxide from galvanic sludge

Abstract

The present work, carried out within the project VALMETAIS, proposes a hydrometallurgical process for copper and nickel recovery from galvanic sludges produced by Ni/Cr plating plants. The procedure has been developed on laboratory scale and the results validation was verified in a small sized pilot scale. The project starts with a leaching process of sludge in sulphuric acid solution in three stages followed by copper cementation step, using iron scrap as precipitating agent. It was found that metals dissolution was almost completed for the three stages of leaching process. Extraction rates of 99% for Cu and Ni were achieved under the leaching. The solid residue separated from the leaching solution is mostly constituted by gypsum (CaSO4), and presents heavy metal content below 1%. Copper cementation process was performed at a pH of 2. Such pH level led to insignificant precipitation of other metals present in the leaching solution, particularly chromium. The recovery rate of copper is about 99% with a purity grade of 99% which enables its application as a commercial product. Nickel hydroxide precipitation was performed by adding sodium hydroxide solution. Results showed a successfully nickel hydroxide extraction obtaining 99% with a purity grade of more than 98%. These evidences demonstrate the high potential of this methodology to treat and derive economic benefits from galvanic sludge. The end products cooper and nickel can be applied as a commercial product generating a profit and the gypsum based sludge from the leaching process can be reutilized as component of construction materials.