Intro
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Hydrometallurgy
- Hydrometallurgy is the extraction of metal from an ore by creating an aqueous solution that produces a metal of the metal and recovering the metal from the solution ("Hydrometallurgy." )
- The creation of this solution is usually done through leaching, or dissolution of the metal/metal compund in water (usually done with additional agent) ("Hydrometallurgy." )
- After this is the separation of the waste and purification of the leach solution ("Hydrometallurgy." )
- Next the precipitate of the metal/ its pure compound is removed from the leach solution by chemical or electrolytic means ("Hydrometallurgy." )
- The most common leaching agent is dilute sulfuric acid ("Hydrometallurgy." )
Pyrometallurgy
- Pyrometallurgy is the extraction of metals through steps involving the application of heat ("Pyrometallurgy.")
Electrolytic smelting
- This is done with a liquid metallic chloride compound or a metallic oxide powder dissolved in molten electolyte ("Electrolytic Smelting." )
- Both have electric current passed through the bath to dissociate the metal compound ("Electrolytic Smelting." )