Decryption of the whole process of industrial crude iridium recycling

In modern industry, precious metals play an irreplaceable role in electronics, medical treatment, jewelry and other fields due to their unique physical and chemical properties. As an important precious metal, iridium is widely used in the manufacture of high-performance electronic components, jewelry and medical equipment. With the development of science and technology and the increase in industrial demand, the supply of iridium is facing tremendous pressure. As an effective way to reuse resources, crude iridium recovery can not only alleviate the problem of iridium resource shortage, but also reduce the burden on the environment, which has important economic and environmental significance.

1. What is crude iridium?

Crude iridium refers to iridium products that are extracted from ore or other iridium-containing materials without further refining. It usually exists in the form of powder, granules or blocks, containing a certain amount of impurities and other metals. The purity of crude iridium is low, usually between 60% and 90%, so it needs to be refined and purified before it can be used in industrial production and manufacturing.

2. Source of crude iridium

The main sources of crude iridium include the following aspects:

Ore mining: Iridium is mainly found in some rare metal ores, such as osmium iridium ore. Through the mining and preliminary extraction of ore, crude ore containing iridium can be obtained, and crude iridium can be obtained after preliminary processing.

Industrial waste: In the industrial production process such as electronic manufacturing and jewelry processing, waste containing iridium will be generated. The iridium in these wastes exists in the form of crude iridium and can be recycled and reused.

Old equipment and products: scrapped electronic equipment, jewelry and other items containing iridium can be extracted into crude iridium after disassembly and processing.

3. The significance of crude iridium recycling

Resource conservation: Iridium is a rare metal with limited reserves. Through the recycling of crude iridium, the mining of original mineral resources can be effectively reduced and the service life of resources can be extended.

Environmental protection: The mining and smelting process of ore will cause serious pollution to the environment, including land damage, water pollution and air pollution. Recycling crude iridium can reduce dependence on mineral resources, thereby reducing the degree of environmental damage.

Economic benefits: Crude iridium recycling can provide enterprises and users with low-cost iridium resources, reduce production costs and improve economic benefits. The development of the recycling industry can also create employment opportunities and promote economic growth.

Supporting sustainable development: As global attention to sustainable development continues to increase, crude iridium recycling, as an important part of the circular economy, can effectively promote the recycling of resources and support the realization of sustainable development goals.

4. The process of crude iridium recycling

Crude iridium recycling is a complex and delicate process, which mainly includes the following steps:

Collection and classification: First, the waste containing iridium needs to be collected and classified according to its type and purity. This step helps with subsequent processing and recycling.

Crushing and grinding: For block or large-particle crude iridium waste, it is necessary to crush and grind it into powder for subsequent processing and extraction.

Chemical purification: Purify crude iridium by chemical methods to remove impurities and other metals. Common methods include acid leaching, precipitation and ion exchange.

Physical separation: Use physical methods such as magnetic separation and flotation to further separate and purify iridium.

Refining and purification: After chemical and physical treatment, a higher purity of iridium is obtained, which usually requires further refining and purification to meet the requirements of industrial applications.

Testing and certification: The recovered iridium needs to be tested and certified to ensure that its purity and quality meet relevant standards.

5. Application of crude iridium recovery

The recovered high-purity iridium can be widely used in many fields:

Electronic industry: Iridium has important applications in electronic components, such as manufacturing high-performance capacitors and resistors.

Jewelry industry: Iridium can be used to make high-quality jewelry, and is highly favored for its unique luster and wear resistance.

Medical industry: Iridium plays an important role in radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, and is used to manufacture radioactive isotopes and medical equipment.

Aerospace: Iridium is also widely used in the aerospace field, such as manufacturing high-temperature and corrosion-resistant parts.