Metal Recovery from Electronics
Electrowinning / Solvent Extraction for Precious Metals
The precious metal recovery subsystem is a 40-kilogram hydrometallurgical unit comprising solvent extraction columns, PTFE-lined tanks, and Hastelloy electrowinning cells that extracts gold, silver, copper, and palladium from electronic waste. Operating at 200 watts with a processing throughput of 1 kilogram per hour, the system achieves a 90 percent metal recovery rate by dissolving scrap in leach solutions, separating target elements, and electrodepositing pure metal onto cathodes. Within a sealed lunar settlement, process safety mandates cyanide-free leaching chemistry and total closed-loop solvent recycling to prevent atmospheric contamination and avoid the loss of volatile reagents.
Electrochemical and solvent-extraction processes recovering precious metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd) from electronic waste.
Purpose
Electrochemical and solvent-extraction processes recovering precious metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd) from electronic waste.
Context
Child of L2-WMS-ELEC within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Cyanide / thiosulfate leach dissolves gold and silver
- ▸Solvent extraction selectively recovers each metal
- ▸Electrowinning deposits pure metal on cathode
- ▸Spent solvent recycled in closed loop
- ▸Trace-metal accountability to support mission inventory
Typical implementations
- ▸Industrial e-waste precious metal recovery (Umicore, Boliden)
- ▸Mining hydrometallurgy heritage
- ▸Aerospace alloy recovery R&D
Lunar considerations
- ▸Cyanide-free chemistry preferred for safety in closed system
- ▸Closed-loop solvent recycling essential
- ▸Trace metals critical for L1-MFG advanced manufacturing
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Electrochemical and solvent-extraction processes recovering precious metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd) from electronic waste. |
| throughput kg per hour | 1 |
| metal recovery percent | 90 |
Physical
| mass kg | 40 |
| materials | Hastelloy electrowinning cells, Solvent extraction columns, PTFE-lined tanks |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 200 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 15 |
| mtbf hours | 30000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Recovered metals to melt furnace
Requires
- Stripped electronics
- Electrowinning (~200 W)
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Metal Recovery from Electronics" (L3-WMS-ELEC-RECOV). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-WMS-ELEC-RECOV
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.