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RENOCELL® TECHNOLOGY

PRECIOUS METALS

Anode

Anode

Porous diffuser core

Plast ic Outer Support

Carbon Fiber

P lat ing Element

Cathode Current Feeder

Electrolyte Flow Path

DIN: DRII-6002-1

Post Electrode

Connector

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ELECTRODEPOSITION OF METALS

• 2D cells (i.e. tank or plate-and-frame cells) are suitable for bulk metal removal but cannot meet stringent precious metal recovery/treatment standards

• The electrowinning cells used in the gold mining industry have been derived from the Mintek cell which is rectangular and consists of a series of parallel, alternately placed anodes and cathodes

• Typically the anodes used are fabricated from Stainless Steel wire mesh or punched plate. The cathodes consist of a porous packed bed of very fine mild-steel wool around a cathode current feeder

• Electrowinning development efforts have been directed towards finding high surface area, stationary electrode materials

• Testing shows that low concentrations of metals can only be achieved, with reasonable current efficiencies, by using porous 3D electrodes

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ELECTRODEPOSITION OF METALS

RenoCell performance improvements in

electrochemical cell focused on:

– Obtaining high active cathode surface areas. Allows compact design and efficient conversions, even at low metal concentrations

– High current efficiency to minimize energy usage – High current density to affect rapid metal removal – High mass transport from intimate contact

between electrolyte and electrodes RenoCell platform improvements

– Easy product removal – Safety and ease of control – Lower operating costs

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RENOCELL PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

Cathode current feeder

Anode current feeder

Plastic Mesh

Flow Diffuser

Carbon fibre

plating element

Catholyte flow in

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RENOCELL ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

•Enclosed Polypropylene Housing

•Cylindrical Anode & Cathode

•Porous 3D Carbon Cathode

•Replaceable Cathode

•Ion-exchange (IX) Membrane Divider Option

•Several Sizes

•Small Footprint U.S. Patent No. 6,162,333

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RENOCELL’S BODY & SECTION VIEW

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RenoCell’s Carbon Fibre Cathode Element, Magnified

RENOCELL CARBON CATHODE

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RENOCELL POROUS CARBON

CATHODE ASSEMBLY

M-500 Cathode:

Diameter = 10 cm

Length = 50 cm

2-D Area = 0.11 m2

3-D Area = ~ 55 m2

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POROUS CARBON CATHODE (M-100)

Before Test After Metal Deposit

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DIVIDED ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS

Dividers are used to separate the cathode from the anode creating an electrochemical reactor used for advanced applications. Two types of dividers are available: – Porous material. Acts as a physical barrier – Ion-exchange (IX) membranes. Highly selective,

permitting transport only of either cations or anions and accompanying solvent

Cation dividers are used when control is needed for: – anode reactions (e.g., chlorides and chlorine generation) – anode corrosion (e.g., fluorides) – undesirable reactions (e.g., iron ‘shuffle’) – impact of anodic reactants (oxygen)

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PRECIOUS METAL RECOVERY (Divided Cell Configuration)

Anolyte ( Dilute Virgin Acid )

( + ) ( - )

Catholyte (HCl Acid Leach )

H+

Pd++

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PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW

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SUCCESSFULLY TREATS 20+

HEAVY METALS

• Cadmium • Gold • Copper • Cobalt • Mercury • Nickel • Chromium • Silver • Tin • Palladium • Iron • Lead • Platinum • Zinc • Indium • Arsenic • Osmium • Tungsten • Ruthenium • Rhodium Others (metalloids) being or to be tested

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0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1000 100 10 1

Deposition Rate Grams/Hr-m2

Metal Concentration, ppm

Copper (Cu)

Cadmium (Cd)

Silver (Ag)

Gold (Au)

Tin (Sn)

Lead (Pb)

Nickel (Ni)

RENOCELL METAL DEPOSITION RATES

vs. METAL CONCENTRATION (at 300 Amps/m2 2D current density)

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RENOCELL MODULAR SYSTEMS

REMOVAL RATES OF VARIOUS METALS

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

MX0251 MX0252 MX0501 MX0502 MX0503 MX0504 MX1001 MX1002 MX1003 MX1004

Copper (Cu+2) 10 19 19 39 58 77 39 77 116 154

Cadmium (Cd+2) 5 9 9 19 28 37 19 37 56 74

Silver (Ag+1) 14 27 27 55 82 109 55 109 164 218

Gold (Au+3) 17 35 35 70 105 140 70 140 210 280

Tin (Sn+4) 7 14 14 28 43 57 28 57 85 113

Lead (Pb+2) 24 48 48 95 143 191 95 191 286 381

Nickel (Ni+2) 5 10 10 20 29 39 20 39 59 78

Me

tal R

em

ov

al

Ra

te,

Gra

ms

/Hr

System Model Number

(Based on starting concentration of 1,000 ppm, ending concentration of 1 ppm, and 2D current density of 300 A/m2)

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EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

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GOLD & OTHER PRECIOUS METALS

An Au drag-out tank on a

PWB plating machine was

treated. The 265 L tank

produced 112.5g of Au

during a 20 hour RenoCell

M100 test, and is typical

of many industrial

precious metal

applications

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210+ RenoCell Installations

20+ Applications in Industrial Sectors

– Printed Circuit Boards

• Cu from electroless bath

• Cu from dragout

• Au and Pd from dragout

• Ag from rinse water

• Impurities from Cu plating bath

– Metal Finishing

• Cd from rinse water

• Cu from cleaning bath

RENOCELL INSTALLATIONS

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RENOCELL INSTALLATIONS

(continued)

20+ Applications in Industrial Sectors

– Aerospace/Automotive • Cd from rinse water

• Cd from IX regeneration

• Cu and Pb removal from cleaning bath

– Metal Fab • Cleaning bath maintenance (Pb,Cu)

– Precious Metals • Pt, Pd, Rh and Au recovery

• Au from dragout

• PM from mining

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20+ Applications in Industrial Sectors

– Environmental/Effluent treatment • Metals from industrial effluents

• Removal of metals from plating wastes

• Removal of metals from biomass and waste incineration ash

– Recycling • Recovery of silver from photographic waste

• Recover of PGM’s from catalytic converters

• Recovery of PGM’s from electronic waste

• And others

RENOCELL INSTALLATIONS

(continued)

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IN SUMMARY

• RenoCell is the next generation technology for process and waste water metal ion removal and value metal reclamation

• RenoCell products deliver advanced, patented 3-D electrowinning technology incorporated in compact, robust cell and modular system designs

• The principles of electrowinning are the same for all electrochemical cells. However, . . . . .

“RenoCell® technology simply works substantially better”

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if you would like further information

please contact:

EFFTECH

4200 Waterside Centre

Solihull Parkway

Birmingham Business Park

Birmingham

United Kingdom

B37 7YN

Tel: +44 121 289 3117

info@efftech.co.uk