ELECTROLYTIC METHOD OF OBTAINING GALLIUM METAL

摘要

A method is disclosed for extracting gallium from a sodium aluminate liquor used in alumina production wherein an initial alloy or gallium is electrolytically obtained from the liquor. The gallium is extracted from the alloy of gallium by dissolving the alloy in an alkaline solution, further electrolyzing the alkaline solution to produce a gallium-enriched solution, carrying out a cementation process on the gallium-enriched solution to produce a second alloy of gallium and separating the gallium from the second alloy of gallium to produce purified gallium. Preferably the initial alloy of gallium is a zinc-gallium alloy and the cementating agent used in the cementation process is aluminum.