Patent US4131455A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4131455A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Silver recovery

Assignee: ISP Investments LLC
•
Filing: 1977-12-09
•
Granted: 1978-12-26
•
Expires: 1997-12-09
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Method for recovering pure silver from acid insoluble silver salt contaminated with other metals by first washing the salt with water at a pH less than 3 and then reacting the washed salt with alkali metal borohydride at a pH greater than 12.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lars T. Edwards
  • 👤 Lyle N. Trowbridge

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 22:40
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B11/00; C22B11/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 76 words
Method for recovery of metallic silver of high purity from acid insoluble silver salt contaminated with more than about 2,000 ppm other metals, which method comprises: a. first washing said silver salt with water at a pH less than 3; b. then reacting thus washed silver salt with alkali metal borohydride at a pH greater than 12 to form metallic silver; and c. recovering metallic silver contaminated with less than 1,000 ppm of such other metals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 76 words
Method for recovery of metallic silver of high purity from acid insoluble silver salt contaminated with more than about 2,000 ppm other metals, which method comprises: a. first washing said silver salt with water at a pH less than 3; b. then reacting thus washed silver salt with alkali metal borohydride at a pH greater than 12 to form metallic silver; and c. recovering metallic silver contaminated with less than 1,000 ppm of such other metals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the metal with which the acid insoluble silver salt is contaminated is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron, lead and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the acid insoluble silver salt is silver chloride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 94 words
Method for recovery of metallic silver of high purity from an aqueous solution of silver salt contaminated with more than about 2,000 ppm based on silver of other metals said method comprising: a. precipitating silver from said solution as acid insoluble silver salt; b. washing such acid insoluble silver salt with water at a pH of less than 3; c. reacting thus washed silver salt with alkali metal borohydride at a pH greater than 12 to form metallic silver; and d. recovering metallic silver contaminated with less than 1,000 ppm of such other metals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 94 words
Method for recovery of metallic silver of high purity from an aqueous solution of silver salt contaminated with more than about 2,000 ppm based on silver of other metals said method comprising: a. precipitating silver from said solution as acid insoluble silver salt; b. washing such acid insoluble silver salt with water at a pH of less than 3; c. reacting thus washed silver salt with alkali metal borohydride at a pH greater than 12 to form metallic silver; and d. recovering metallic silver contaminated with less than 1,000 ppm of such other metals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
Method according to claim 4 in which the metal with which the silver is contaminated is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron, lead and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
Method according to claim 4 wherein the aqueous solution of silver salt treated is in the form of silver nitrate and the acid insoluble silver salt is silver chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
Method according to claim 4 wherein the pH of the silver salt washed in step (b) is maintained less than 3 by addition of acid to the wash water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 43 words
Method according to claim 4 wherein following step (b) and prior to step (c) the pH of the silver salt is adjusted to greater than 12 by addition of alkali metal hydroxide to the aqueous slurry of silver salt resulting from step (b).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
Method according to claim 4 wherein the pH of the silver salt during step (b) is maintained less than 3 by addition of nitric acid to at least a portion of the wash water and the pH of the resulting aqueous slurry of silver salt is adjusted to greater than 12 prior to step (c) by addition of sodium hydroxide.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2752237A Cited
US3334995A Cited
US3369886A Cited
US3658510A Cited
US3940261A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-12-25 1982-06-26 1982-12-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-12-25 1986-06-26 1986-12-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-12-25 1990-06-26 1990-12-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag