Hg wells up from new process
15 Jan 2000
Removing mercury from plant wastes is important in several industries, including metal smelting and chlor-alkali. A process originally developed to treat contaminated land could cut emissions by as much as 99 per cent, claim its inventors, Pennsylvania-based Mercury Recovery Services.
The system works by mixing wastes rich in mercury compounds with proprietary additives which break the metal's bonds to chlorine and sulphur, leaving the mercury in its elemental form. The treated waste is heated to 100oC, to evaporate water, and then to about 650oC, to drive off the mercury. The vapour is condensed to give the pure metal, which can be re-sold.
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