Procedure for the cathodic electrowinning of metals, with the corresponding acid generation, from its salt solution

Claim 1

Process for the cathodic electrowinning of metals, with corresponding acid generation, comprising the use of an electrochemical cell having anodic and cathodic compartments physically separated by a cation permo-selective membrane, in such a way that different electrolytes are used in each electrodic space, the cathode receiving a solution of the corresponding metallic salt, the metal being discharged at the cathode, and the electrical equilibrium being maintained by protons coming from the anolyte, across the cation permo-selective membrane, there being a change in the catholyte composition from a neutral salt solution into an acidic solution, where the acid and the salt have the same anion; the anode functioning with a different electrolyte comprising a solution of inorganic oxygenated acid, where the applied current discharges oxygen at the anode, thus originating an excess of protons that pass toward the catholyte across the membrane.