Patent ID: 6818119
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: C22B,C25C

Abstract:
A method for purifying a metal, comprising:providing an electrolysis cell having an anode and a cathode, the anode comprising the metal that is to be purified; anodically dissolving the metal from the anode into an electrolyte solution as a metal ion electrolyte; after the dissolving, passing at least some of said electrolyte solution across an ion exchange resin to reduce a concentration of one or more impurities in the electrolyte solution relative to a concentration of the metal ion in the electrolyte solution, the ion exchange resin having a bed volume, the electrolyte being passed across the resin at a flow rate of greater than 0 BV/Hr and less than or equal to about 10 BV/Hr under conditions in which the metal ion is not loaded on the resin but instead flows across the resin, and in which one or more impurities are retained on the resin; after passing the at least some of the electrolyte solution across the resin, transferring said electrolyte back to said electrolysis cell and cathodically depositing the metal from the metal ion of the electrolyte at the cathode; and wherein the cathode has a surface exposed to the electrolyte during the cathodically depositing, and further comprising forming a non-conductive material around a periphery of the surface before the cathodically depositing.