PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AND CONCENTRATING GALLIUM FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING GALLIUM, TOGETHER WITH ALUMINUM, ZINC AND/OR COPPER

摘要

2072761 9110621 PCTABS00006 Process for separating and concentrating gallium from an aqueous solution containing gallium, together with aluminium, zinc and/or copper, characterized by the following combination of features: (a) preparation of a water-in-oil emulsion consisting of a neutral or alkaline aqueous phase and an organic phase containing an oil-soluble reactant in a homogenizer in a volume ratio of aqueous phase to organic phase of 2:2 to 3:2; (b) dispersion of the water-in-oil emulsion in the aqueous solution containing gallium, which is adjusted to at least 4 mol/l of HCl, in an extractor in a volume ratio of aqueous phase to water-in-oil emulsion of 30:1 to 10:1 until droplets of the water-in-oil emulsion with a diameter less than or equal to 1 mm are obtained; (c) separation of the water-in-oil emulsion from the aqueous continuum and splitting of the emulsion in a reactor with coaxial, double-insulated electrodes in a high-voltage kV/cm and a frequency greater than 50 Hz, the unsplit portion of the water-in-oil emulsion being recycled into step (b); (d) separation of the electrocoalesced organic phase of the water-in-oil emulsion in a gravity separator and recycling of the same into step (a).