pH adjustment was considered a simple step in the hydrometallurgy process, but its complicated operation was ignored in the past. In some industrial applications, the leachate pH was slowly adjusted by a diluted alkaline solution, with the defects of doubling the leachate volume and causing droplet hydrolysis/coagulation. Up to date, promising routes have been developed for rapid pH adjustment, especially in sealed high-temperature/pressure vessels. New routes emerged in some redox/decomposition reactions of nitrate/urea and organics. Such reactions did not start and/or were slow at room temperature but started spontaneously at high temperatures to generate/consume free H+. This induced pH adjustment in a rapid and homogeneous way.
Keywords: hydrometallurgy; leachate; pH adjustment; value-added metals; waste recycling.
Copyright © 2023 Suiyi, Jian, Yuhong, Ying, Yuxin, Jiabao, Jiancong, Jinlu and Meichun.