Distribution of Precious Metals in Two Liquids Phase Separation of the Fe-Cu-C, Fe-Pb-C, Fe-Ag-C and Ni-Ag-C Systems with Carbon Saturation

Abstract

Typical high-temperature recycling processes for precious metals use molten metal as a collector to concentrate the precious metals. The purpose of this study is to compare the performance of the collector metals and to investigate the feasibility of selective recovery of precious metals. Using the two liquid phases separation of the ternary alloy system, Rh, Pd, Pt, and Au were added to the Fe-Cu-C, Fe-Pb-C, or Fe-Ag-C systems at 1500 K and to the Ni-Ag-C system at 1700 K under carbon saturation, and the distribution ratios of precious metals between the two liquid phases of each system were determined. In all conditions, the molten metal was separated into two liquids. Rh was mainly concentrated in the Fe-C or Ni-C phases, Au in the Cu, Pb, or Ag phases, and Pd and Pt in the intermediate distribution.