Gold recovery from waste printed circuit boards of mobile phones by using microwave pyrolysis and hydrometallurgical methods
Journal
Sustainable Environment Research
Journal Volume
32
Journal Issue
1
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
Abstract
Recycling of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) has attracted increasing attention because of its high annually produced amount and high content of gold. In this study, gold recovery from waste PCBs was carried out by using the processes including microwave pyrolysis, acid leaching, solvent extraction and oxidative precipitation. The leaching efficiency of copper was approximately 95% when using a lixiviant composed of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, and the leaching efficiencies of gold were approximately 59, 95 and 95% by using thiourea, thiosulfate and aqua regia, respectively. The gold ions contained in the leachate previously produced by the leaching processes were not satisfactorily extracted by using organic solvents including di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid, tributyl phosphate, dibutyl carbitol and trioctylamine, so the leachate was decided to bypass solvent extraction and directly apply to the oxidative precipitation process. By using the oxidants of hydrogen peroxide and perchloric acid, the precipitation efficiencies of gold were approximately 95 and 99%, and the final recovery rates were approximately 90 and 93%, respectively. The high recovery rates of gold can be attributable to the use of microwave pyrolysis that prevents the loss of gold caused by shredding and grinding processes. In addition, perchloric acid can provide higher selectivity for gold recovery than hydrogen peroxide. The maximum processing capacity of microwave pyrolysis of waste PCBs would be approximately 1.23 kg. The gold recovered from 1 t of waste PCBs can be sold for approximately USD 10,000, and thus the return on investment can be as high as approximately 1400%. ? 2022, The Author(s).
Subjects
Acid leaching
Gold recovery
Microwave pyrolysis
Oxidative precipitation
Waste printed circuit boards
Efficiency
Hydrogen peroxide
Leaching
Microwaves
Nitric acid
Oxidation
Precipitation (chemical)
Pyrolysis
Recovery
Solvent extraction
Solvents
Timing circuits
Gold recoveries
Hydrometallurgical methods
Leachates
Perchloric acids
Recovery rate
Recycling of wastes
Waste printed circuit board
Printed circuit boards
Type
journal article