Recovery of precious metals in the galvanic industry
Maximum recovery, minimum impact, the solution for luxury electroplating.
Recovery of precious metals in the galvanic industry
Customer
The client is a leading company in the production of accessories for the luxury world.
Objectives
Make precious metal recovery highly efficient. Stabilize a salinity balance and improve water quality in static washes. Reduce the bacterial load of washes. Minimize precious metal loss due to carryover in dynamic washes
01.
Problem with Classical Methods
Precious metal loss: accumulation of metal in the static wash tank, with increased loss due to entrainment in the dynamic wash tanks.
Increase in bacterial load and formation of algae that are entrained in the dynamic wash tanks.
The amount of metal retained by the resin is unknown.
Reduction of recirculation flow rate due to resin and carbon clogging in demineralization plants. Difficulty in recovery from some solutions (alkaline baths with complexed cyanides).
02.
Project
In the high-end galvanic sector, the efficient recovery of precious metals is a fundamental necessity to reduce waste and improve production sustainability. A leading company in the production of luxury accessories has addressed the problem of the loss of precious materials in static and dynamic washing, looking for a solution that would allow to optimize the recovery process and improve the quality of the water used.
03.
Solution
Using a recirculating vacuum evaporator on static washing.
Identification of 5 separate flows:
acid gold, alkaline gold, alkaline palladium, nickel palladium and gold plating to be treated with C&G vacuum concentrator evaporators.
Water exchange in the tank > low water/frame consumption
Salinity balance in the static bath
Precious metal recovery
Analysis of the results
The installation of the recirculating vacuum evaporator has led to significant results, improving the efficiency of precious metal recovery and optimizing the washing process.
The system allowed to minimize the loss of precious materials, thanks to a controlled water treatment circuit that eliminated carryover in dynamic washing and reduced metal dispersion. In the evaporator boiler, a high concentration of acid gold (13 g/L), alkaline palladium (7 g/L) and gold plating (14 g/L) was achieved, ensuring optimal recovery and significant economic value.
From a water management point of view, the process has stabilized the salinity balance in the static bath between 1000 and 2000 µs/cm, ensuring higher quality in the treatment of metal surfaces. Furthermore, electricity consumption has remained low, with only 4.5 kW/h for every 1000 L of treated washes, optimizing the energy efficiency of the plant.
Finally, the identification and separation of five distinct precious metal streams improved the refining process, making recovery more effective and reducing issues related to clogging of demineralization systems.
Savings
Reduction of management costs
Circularity
Recovery of raw materials
Sustainability
Reducing environmental impact