[0009] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for recovering valuable metal elements from a copper-containing metallic material that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.
[0010] According to the present disclosure, the method includes the steps of:
(a) immersing an anode and the copper-containing metallic material serving as a cathode into an electrolyte solution having one of an acidic pH and an alkaline pH; and
(b) providing a predetermined voltage to the anode and the cathode such that an electrolysis process conducted under the predetermined voltage on the cathode forms a gaseous film surrounding the cathode, and then the gaseous film is broken down to permit generation of a plasma in the electrolyte solution so as to obtain a solid copper metal or a solid copper oxide that precipitates from the electrolyte solution, and ionic impurities that dissolve in the electrolyte solution,
wherein in step (b), the solid copper metal precipitates from the electrolyte solution when the electrolyte solution has the acidic pH, and
wherein in step (b), the solid copper oxide precipitates from the electrolyte solution when the electrolyte solution has the alkaline pH. |