A bench-scale electrochemical cell for plating heavy metals, such as copper from dilute wastewaters, was designed and tested. Optimization tests were performed on simulated mine-drainage water (pH 2.6, 0.1M Na2SO4, 0.02 Omega(-1)cm(-1), 150mg L(-1) CU2+) using a vertically oriented, flow-through cell containing a carbon felt cathode. Results obtained for optimized conditions of applied potential and volume flow rate demonstrated greater than 99.9% recovery of copper metal from feed solutions at an ohmic corrected potential of -0.70 V vs Ag/AgCl and how rates approaching the design maximum of about 0.30 mL s(-1). The effluent concentration of copper under conditions of optimum potential and flow rate could be routinely reduced to a target level of 50 mu g L(-1).