Alternative lead alloys to improve efficiencies in electrowinning processes

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Hydro Quebec is a major electricity supplier in Canada and has programs to promote efficiency and becoming 'energy wise'. Hydro Quebec is interested in supporting research of lead-based alloys for its customers to improve current efficiency and reduce power consumption in electrowinning cell houses in Quebec, Canada, and internationally. In this collaborative research project between Hydro Quebec and the University of British Columbia, a master's student and two summer students will be trained. The current study offers an opportunity to provide an understanding of the effect of alloying elements and thermo-mechanical treatments on the performance of both existing and new lead alloys in the zinc electrowinning process. Such understanding is essential to improve the performance and optimize the energy efficiency of zinc electrowinning. The information generated would lead to significant savings in operating costs of current and any future processing plants, and this effort could also be applicable and of benefit to electrowinning processes for other nonferrous metals such as Ni and Cu.