Synergistic Extraction of Gallium from Sulfate Solution

A novel extractant mixture, di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate (DEHPA) plus HX, was proposed and tested for recovering gallium from sulfate solution. It was found that the extraction capacity of DEPHA for gallium from sulfate solution could be enhanced significantly due to the synergistic effect of acidic extractant HX. Gallium extraction is negligible below pH 0 and highly sensitive to pH of aqueous phase in the range from 0 to 1, and satisfactory extraction can be gained at pH>1. More than 96% Ga extraction was obtained using 15% DEHPA plus 2% HX. Although Fe (Ⅲ) was found to be extracted preferentially to Ga (Ⅲ), effective extraction of Ga (Ⅲ) was possible by reducing ferric to the ferrous state prior to extraction. A loaded organic phase containing 0.48g L-1 Ga could be produced from solution of 0.12g L-1 Ga at A/O ratio of 4 : 1 via three mixer-settler operation stages. Gallium was stripped quantitatively from the loaded organic phase with l,5mol L-1 of sulfuric acid.