Patent ID: 8765480

Claim:
A method for recovering a metal, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first complex between a first chelating agent and a metal present in a sample in a first mixture prepared by mixing the first chelating agent and the sample; recovering the first complex from the first mixture; forming a second complex between the metal derived from the first complex and a second chelating agent in a second mixture prepared by mixing the first complex and an aqueous medium comprising the second chelating agent; and recovering the metal by recovering a liquid fraction containing the second complex dissolved therein from the second mixture, wherein in the step of forming a first complex, the first mixture is prepared under pH conditions where the first chelating agent is dissolved or partially dissolved in the first mixture, and in the step of forming a second complex, the aqueous medium of the second chelating agent is under pH conditions where the first chelating agent is insoluble therein.