Recovery, separation of gallium and germanium from zinc tailings

Recovery bar charts and results of recoveries of Ga, Ge & Zn from Tar Creek tailings using a novel integrated flotation-roasting-leaching process — Recoveries of Ga, Ge & Zn from Tar Creek tailings using a novel integrated flotation-roasting-leaching process

CMI researchers at Missouri S&T conducted the research for this highlight

Innovation
Development of an integrated flowsheet for the selective recovery of gallium (Ga) and germanium (Ge) from zinc tailings from the Tri-State (Tar Creek) Superfund district.

Achievements
An integrated flotation–roasting–leaching process was successfully demonstrated, enabling selective extraction of Ga and Ge from zinc tailings with greater than 90% recovery for each metal (Fig. 1).

Significance and Impact
The integrated flotation–roasting–leaching flowsheet upgrades low‑grade zinc tailings into a process‑ready feedstock, enabling recovery of Ga, Ge, and other critical minerals while producing a value‑added zinc co‑product. This strengthens U.S. supply‑chain resilience for semiconductor materials and improves overall project economics.

Hub Target Addressed
Capturing gallium and germanium from domestic zinc residues.