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Acid Leaching Extraction of Ga and Ge

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Abstract

The U.S. Bureau of Mines recently investigated sulfuric acid leaching to extract gallium and germanium from a zinc processing residue containing 0.32% Ga and 0.46% Ge. These metals can be extracted by leaching with sulfuric acid alone or by leaching with sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide. A low temperature roasting treatment also aids in extracting 20% more germanium. A high percentage of the residue’s remaining zinc and cadmium is extracted using either technique.

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References

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Authors
  1. Megan P. Wardell
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  2. Charles F. Davidson
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Additional information

Megan P. Wardell B.S. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Utah in 1985. She is currently a chemical engineer of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Mines at the Salt Lake City Research Center.

Charles F. Davidson received his Ph.D. in metallurgy from the University of Utah in 1977. He is currently a group supervisor at the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Mines at the Salt Lake City Research Center.

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Wardell, M.P., Davidson, C.F. Acid Leaching Extraction of Ga and Ge. JOM 39, 39–41 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03258061

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03258061

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