An electrochemical process for recovering platinum group metals (PGMS) from solid residues||An electrochemical process for recovering platinum group metals (PGMS) from solid residues

An electrochemical process for recovering platinum group metals (PGMs) from a PGM-containing solid residue, including the steps of: a) subjecting the solid residue to electroleaching in order to leach the PGMs from the solid residue and, concomitantly, electrodepositing the leached PGMs onto the cathode; and b) recovering the electrodeposited PGMs. The electroleaching and electrodepositing are carried out in an electrolyte comprising a deep eutectic solvent (DES) and an aqueous solution comprising chloride ions and having a pH<7. The DES consists of a mixture of a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) compound (A) which is choline chloride; and a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) compound (B) selected from the group consisting of (C1-C12)alcohol, (C1-C12)aldehyde, (C1-C18)carboxylic acid, (C1-C6)urea, (C1-C12)amide, (C1-C12)nitrogenated compound, (C1-C12)aminoacid, and (C1-C12)sugar; in a molar ratio of (A) to (B) from 1:10 to 10:1.