Patent ID: 8663584

Claim:
A method of separating at least one of gold and palladium from an acid solution containing chloride complexes of at least one of these metals, said method comprising the steps of: employing an extractant selected from dithiobiuret derivative compounds represented by the following structure formula: wherein R is cyclohexyl or isopropyl and Z represents a group selected from the group consisting of: —CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 , CH 2 —CH(CH 3 )—CH 2 , CH 2 (CH 2 ) 2 CH 2 , CH 2 —NH—CH 2 , CH 2 —CHOH—CH 2 —, CHOH—CH 2 —CH 2 —, and —CH 2 —O—CH 2 —; and contacting said acid solution with a quantity of said extractant, for a sufficient length of time to form a loaded organic consisting of either or both of gold and palladium to allow for a single step extraction of substantially all the gold and palladium present.