| Description |
The knowledge that lead sulphate and lead chloride are soluble in a strong brine solution and that lead may be recovered from such a solution by electrolysis, is not now, although certainly not widespread. In fact as long ago as 1854 M. M. Bequerlel of Paris reported in Comptes rendus 38: 1095 (1854), of work he had done on lead leaching electrolysis. In all he treated about 20,000lb. of ore mostly from South American and Mexican sources. His method of procedure was to give the ore a sulphatizing roast in the presence of salt and leach out the lead sulphate and silver chloride with saturated brine. The brine was then electrolyzed to recover the metals. The principles of his process are practically identical with those of the work described in the following pages. However, Bequerel could never have made his process commercially practical because of the then exiting commercial conditions, which are much changed now. For instance, he obtained his current from the only source he knew of, namely the primary cell. |
