Study Of Recovery Of Gallium And Germanium From High Concentration Sulfate Acid Liquor By Extraction

Abstract:Lead zinc ore is one of the most important gallium and germanium associated ore resources. At present,80%zinc around the world was yield by hydrometallurgy process, in which the gallium and germanium in ore enter into zinc replacing residue for recovery. This new process of extraction of gallium and germanium from high concentration sulfate acid leach liquor by HBL101(5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxy-dodecane-6-ketone oxime) and HBL121(4-tert-octyl phenol phosphate) was proposed for the characteristics of leach liquor and the disadvantages in the existing extraction system such as complex step of adjusting acidity, high complexing agents cost, and serious organic phase loss.The preparation, analysis and performance test of HBL101and HBL121were studied. The conditions parameters of the new process that extraction of gallium and germanium directly by HBL101and HBL121were investigated. The project of extraction and stripping was designed. The isotherms of the extraction and stripping were plotted and the counter-current process of extraction and stripping were simulated by separatory funnels.The results show that HBL101has a excellent extraction performance on germanium while Fe3+、Zn2、Ga3+are not extracted. The germanium and copper in loaded organic are selectively stripped by a solution of150g.L-’NaOH and a solution of200g.L-’H2SO4. The extraction of gallium from raffinate by HBL121shows that HBL121has an excellent extraction performance on gallium but lots of Fe3+is coextracted while Zn2+、Cu2+are not extracted. The gallium and iron in loaded organic were selectively stripped by a solution of200g.L-1H2SO4and a solution of7mol.L-1HCl.The results show that the separation and extract of gallium and germanium are realized by extraction and stripping process. After five-counter extraction and five-counter stripping, the extraction and stripping ratio of germanium are98.43%,98.1%. Through four-counter extraction and five-counter stripping, the extraction and stripping ratio of gallium are98.14%,99.18%. The recovery ratio of gallium and germanium are97.34%,96.56%.The short process of extraction of gallium and germanium from high sulfate acid leach liquor of zinc replacing residue by HBL101and HBL121reduce lots of costs and avoid, meanwhile, the acidity and zinc are recovered more easily.