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Evaluating additives and impurities in zinc electrowinning

  • Lead and Zinc
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Abstract

The zinc electrowinning (EW) process is very sensitive to the presence of impurities. There is only one EW plant in the world that we know of that operates at moderate current efficiency and deposition times without using any additives. All the others must use them continuously. Additives allow zinc EW to occur at high current efficiencies while suppressing excessive acid mist formation. The study of the electrochemical effects of additives in zinc EW is not straightforward. This article presents a review of the experimental techniques currently used at Cominco Research: Cyclic voltammetry, Hull cells, laboratory and mini-cell electrowinning techniques are all described and their relationship to the industrial operation is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of British Columbia, USA

    J. A. Gonzalez-Dominguez Ph.D. (senior research metallurgist Cominco Research and an adjunct professor, member of TMS)

  2. Cominco Ltd, USA

    R. W. Lew M.A.Sc. (research metallurgist)

Authors
  1. J. A. Gonzalez-Dominguez Ph.D.
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  2. R. W. Lew M.A.Sc.
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Gonzalez-Dominguez, J.A., Lew, R.W. Evaluating additives and impurities in zinc electrowinning. JOM 47, 34–37 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03221128

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