Leaching of gold, silver and accompanying metals from circuit boards (PCBs) waste

Au-Ag noble metal wastes represent a wide range of waste types and forms, with various accompanying metallic elements. The presented leaching strategy for Au-Ag contained in circuit boards (PCBs) aims at gaining gold and silver in the metallic form. Application of the proposed ammonium thiosulphate leaching process for the treatment of the above mentioned Au-Ag containing wastes represents a practical, economic and at the same time an ecological solution. The ammonium thiosulphate based leaching of gold and silver from PCBs waste, using crushing as a pretreatment, was investigated. It was possible to achieve 98 % gold and 93 % silver recovery within 48 hours of ammonium thiosulphate leaching. This type of leaching is a better leaching procedure for recovery of gold and silver from PCB waste than the classical toxic cyanide leaching. 84 % Cu, 82 % Fe, 77 % Al, 76 % Zn, 70 % Ni, 90 % Pd, 88 % Pb and 83 % Sn recovery of the accompanying metals was achieved, using sulphuric acid with hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride and aqua regia. A four steps leaching process gave a very satisfactory yield and a more rapid kinetics for all observed metals solubilization than other technologies.