CONTINUOUS COPPER ELECTROWINNING BY MECHANICALLY ROTATED PARTICULATE CATHODES

Electrolytic cells comprising mechanically rotated particulate cathode s conform well with the requirement of continuous and automatized copp er extraction from sulfuric acid solutions. This is achieved by deposi tion of copper layers with low adherence onto the cathodes followed by their mechanical separation. Based on the test results, the dependanc y of the copper separation on electrolyte composition, temperature, as well as the potential and current distribution in the bulk of the par ticulate cathode will be discussed.