Despite their toxicity, cyanide electrolytes are widely used by electroplating industries due the high quality of the metallic deposits. In the copper deposition on mild steel, after relatively long periods of continuous operation the build up of impurities, especially carbonates, reach undesirable values, decreasing the deposit quality and turning the solution unsuitable for its purpose. Then, a waste solution known as bleed, which requires treatment for a safe discard, is generated. In this paper, the possibility of simultaneous copper electrowinning and cyanide oxidation from this effluent, decreasing its hazardousness was evaluated. Copper recoveries around 99.9% and oxidation of 99% of the cyanide were achieved, from an effluent containing 26g/L of copper and 27g/L of cyanide after a five-hour electrolysis at 50° C with a current density of 9.4 A/cm².
Copper; cyanide; electrowinning; effluent
