Metal-containing waste water treatment and metal recovery process

Claim 1

A process for treating waste water, containing heavy metal salt contaminants to remove and recover the metal values therefrom comprising the steps of: (a) introducing the waste water to a first portable water-conducting canister containing a bed of ion exchange resin capable of removing the heavy metal ions from said waste water and retaining same in said resin bed, and permitting said waste water to exit from said canister after contact with said bed; (b) removing said first portable canister to a regeneration zone; (c) replacing the portable canister with a second portable canister containing a fresh or regenerated resin bed; (d) connecting said first canister to a backwash receiver; (e) treating said resin bed in said first canister by the steps of: (i) backwashing the resin bed with water and permitting a portion of the resin bed to expand into the backwashing receiver; (ii) forward-washing the resin bed with water and permitting the portion of the resin bed in the backwashing receiver to be returned to the portable canister; (iii) forwarding-washing the resin bed with a regenerant solution effective to displace said heavy metal ions from said resin bed; (iv) collecting the regenerant solution; and (v) forward-washing the resin bed with water to remove regenerant agent solution.