Hydrometallurgical operations are used for the production of metals in liquid medium, by solvatation in acid,
basic or organic solutions. The involved processes are the leaching of metal from ore or concentrate,
intermediate purification phases such as solvent extraction or ion exchange resins, and production of pure
metals by electrolysis. All these operations are found, for instance, in the production of high purity nickel.
Hydrometallurgy is also involved in the protection of the environment. It is used for the treatment of
wastewater or gaseous emissions, for solid waste conditioning.
