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Current technologies for metal removal are either non-selective or slow, complex and expensive
SELECTAL is fast, selective and inexpensive
SELECTAL is As selective as the much more expensive ion exchange resins
SELECTAL is AS easy to use and cheap as the unselective chemical precipitation methods
SELECTAL is usable At metal concentrations where the only other viable technique is hazardous and environmentally harmful solvent extraction
how it works:
the SELECTAL process
waste, process or mining stream
the functionalized polymer is mixed with the untreated stream containing the target metal
metal loaded polymer flocculated and separated from the stream using filtration
clean water to discharge / further processing
pH adjustment to leach out metal salts from Selectal solid
the original functionalizeD polymer and surfactant can simply be recycled and reused
Filter out dissolved metal salts from Selectal solid
Pure metal salts for refining / recycling
how it works:
selective metal loading and flocculation
Copper recovery
(1) selECTAL added to selectively complex with copper
(2) flocculation
(3) settling and removal of
copper loaded polymer
(4) iron remains in copper-free
supernatant
selectal
vs
other technologies
Technology | Chemistry | Concentration Range | Selectivity | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Selectal | Complexation | 0.001-100 g/L | *** | Fast, Selective, Inexpensive, and Green |
Electrolysis | Electrochemical Reduction | 0.1-100 g/L | ** | Not the most selective but cheap and clean. Not energy efficient at low concentrations |
Ion Exchange | Complexation | 0.001-1 g/L | *** | Selective but only effective at low or trace metal concentrations. Slow processing rates |
Solvent Exctraction | Complexation | 1-100 g/L | *** | Selective but requires complex equipment and flammable/toxic solvents |
Precipitation | Salt formation and Chemical Reduction | 0.1-100 g/L | * | cheap, easy to operate but not selective |
