Hydrometallurgical Processing of Cable Scrap and Its Optimization

The paper discusses the development of a technological scheme for the comprehensive processing of copper cable conductors with a contact surface coating containing lead. A hydrometallurgical method for removing (leaching) lead from the surface of copper conductors of the cable scrap by using solutions consisting of a mixture of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide at various process parameters has been investigated. The optimization of the controlled parameters of the process was performed. It has been established that the highest rates of the lead dissolution process are achieved at a ratio of CH3COOH:H2O2 = 2:1. An equation is proposed to describe the dependence of the lead dissolution process on the controlled parameters, such as duration of sample processing, solution temperature, and pH level. The kinetics of lead dissolution in the mixture of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide has been studied. The equation describing the lead dissolution process at an atmospheric pressure and temperature range of 20–96°C is obtained. A modernized technological scheme for cable scrap processing has been developed and proposed. The scheme includes process operations related to mechanical separation and sorting of the raw materials with subsequent hydro- and electrometallurgical treatment of the resulting product. Moreover, each material recovered according to the proposed scheme represents a finished commercial product.