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Wohlwill process
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Main page The Wohlwill process is an industrial-scale chemical procedure used to refine gold to the highest
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degree of purity (99.999%). The process was invented in 1874 by Emil Wohlwill. This electrochemical
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process involves using a cast dore ingot, often called a dore bar, of 95%+ gold to serve as an anode.
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Lower percentages of gold in the anode will interfere with the reaction, especially when the
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contaminating metal is silver or one of the platinum group elements. The cathode(s) for this reaction
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are small sheets of pure (24k) gold sheeting. Current is applied to the system, and electricity travels
Interaction through the electrolyte of chloroauric acid. Gold and other metals are dissolved at the anode, and
Help pure gold (coming through the chlorauric acid by ion transfer) is plated onto the gold cathode. When
About Wikipedia the anode is dissolved, the cathode is removed and melted or otherwise processed in the manner
Community portal required for sale or use. The resulting gold is 99.999% pure, and of higher purity than gold produced
Recent changes by the other common refining method, the Miller process, which produces gold of 99.95% purity. [1][2]
Contact Wikipedia The Wohlwill process is necessary for highest purity gold applications, and when lower purity gold is
required refiners often utilize the Miller process due to its relative ease, quicker turnaround times, and
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because it does not require a large inventory of gold, in the form of chloroauric acid, on site at all
Print/export times.[1][2]

Languages A variant of the Wohlwill process is the fizzer cell. In a fizzer cell, the decaying anode is surrounded
Français by a ceramic cell through which electric current can pass, but dissolved ions cannot. To recover gold
from a fizzer cell, one removes the gold chloride laden solution and selectively precipitates the gold
using a selective reducing agent such as ferrous sulfate, hydrazine which is highly dangerous and
explosive, or other lixiviants. A fizzer cell which utilizes a carbon rod instantly introduces
contaminants into the solution. Carbon rods through which electrical current passes, begin to break
down immediately upon application of current. This perceptibly worsens contamination of cell over
time.

See also [edit]

Gold parting

References [edit]

1. ^ a b Noyes, Robert (1993). Pollution prevention technology handbook . William Andrew. p. 342.
ISBN 0815513119.
2. ^ a b Pletcher, Derek and Walsh, Frank (1990). Industrial electrochemistry . Springer. p. 244.
ISBN 0412304104.

Categories: Metallurgical processes | Gold

This page was last modified on 26 July 2010 at 14:06.

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