Effluents from the copper electrorefining as a secondary source of antimony: Role of mass transfer on the recovery by electrodeposition

The limited availability of antimony has increased the need for exploiting alternative sources to its direct extraction from stibnite deposits. Furthermore, introducing recovery techniques in industries where is released wastewaters leads more responsible production routes. In this work, electrodeposition employed recover present a secondary waste effluent copper electrorefining that highly concentrated hydrochloric acid. electrochemical characterization system was conducted by voltammetry identify range suitable operating conditions potentiostatic and galvanostatic electro-recovery antimony. mode, progress electrode reactions hydrogen chlorine evolution at potentials cathodic than −0.38 V vs. Ag/AgCl causes detachment redissolution deposited Operating under control, similar effects were observed when limiting current density exceeded. Current efficiency specific energy consumption values above 50 % below 65 kW·h·kg−1, achieved (1.265 mA·cm−2). operational accelerated increasing densities can be broadened intensified hydrodynamic higher concentrations detrimental effect reaction on decreases high HCl concentrations.