Study on Extracting of Germanium with Trioctylamine

Abstract

Optimum conditions of germanium extractions were investigated from a sulphuric acid zinc solution by using a kind of extractant TOA, complexing agent C4H6O6and improving reagent C12H27O4P, in addition to kerosene as diluent and NaOH as stripping agent. The results show that this process has the following advantages: simplicity in flowsheet, good selectivity, high recovery and availability of the reagents. The optimum extraction conditions are TOA 30%, improving reagent 5%, diluent 65%. O/A =1/8, mass ratio of complexing agent to germanium 12-16, and at normal temperature,3-5 min.The optimum back extraction conditions are NaOH concentration 30%, O/A=2, and at normal temperature, 3-5 min.Through one step extraction and one step back wash extraction, germanium extraction rate is more than 97%. In the process it is hardly extraction of zinc. Separating coefficient to germanium and zinc is estimated. Stripping rate is more than 95%. It is convenient for the sake of recovering zinc and germanium.