ELECTROLYTICAL LEAD RECOVERY FROM INDUSTR IAL-WASTE

The recovery of lead from scrap resulted from non-ferrous sulphides bu rning has been carried out by solubilization as PbSiF6, followed by el ectroextraction. This paper established the following optimum conditio ns for electrolysis: concentration of lead 50-150 g/l, current density 100-300 A/m(2), mixture of additives (sodium ligninosulphonate and gl ue, 2g/l of each) lead cathode, small distance between electrodes (2 c m). The current efficiency is high and the energy consumption of 700 k Wh/t lead. Morphologic characterization of deposits, by SEM and X-ray diffraction, shows that they are compact, adherent, presenting a light preferential orientation of the crystals and satisfy the conditions f or recovery of lead in industrial equipment.