Catalytic water treatment to recover metal value

Abstract

A novel continuous reduction process is disclosed for recovering values of metals having a more positive reduction potential than hydrogen from an aqeuous solution. The process includes the steps of contacting the aqueous solution containing metal value in a reactor with a metal catalyst consisting essentially of Pt or Pd metal dispersed on an inert catalyst support in the presence of a stoichiometric excess of hydrogen substantially dissolved in the aqueous solution to reduce the metal value and deposit free metal on the catalyst, and separating recovered metal value from the catalyst. The catalyst support may comprise electrically conductive particles. In the preferred embodiments, the catalyst consists essentially of about 0.02 to 1 Wt % Pt on a porous carbon support and the aqueous solution contains gold or copper values. The process may be conducted co-currently in a fixed catalyst bed reactor with the solution containing metal values and dissolved hydrogen flowing upwardly through the catalyst bed at ambient temperature, while maintaining hydrogen partial pressure at least as great as 1 atmosphere. The process is especially valuable for recovering metals from dilute aqueous solution, typically in a concentration of about 0.1 to 100 ppm. Recovery in excess of 90% is obtainable.