noun
- the branch of metallurgy that uses aqueous chemical processes to extract and purify metals from ores or recycled materials
Usage: technical; uncountable
Examples
- Hydrometallurgy is widely used in copper extraction because it is more cost-effective than pyrometallurgical methods.
- The mining company adopted hydrometallurgy to reduce environmental pollution from smelting operations.
- Leaching is a key step in hydrometallurgy where ore is dissolved in a chemical solution.
- Modern hydrometallurgy allows for the recovery of valuable metals from electronic waste.
- Engineers studied hydrometallurgy to improve the efficiency of nickel processing.