Recovery of Ga, Ge, and In from zinc by-products

image of two men
Wes Hartzell (right) receiving the Colorado Subsection of MPD award for Best Student Paper. 

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

Innovation 
Recovery of gallium, germanium, and indium from zinc by-products by leaching and solvent extraction. 

Achievement 

  • Leaching yield for Ga, Ge and In approximately 85–100%.
  • Selective extraction using commercially available reagents. 
  • Development of preliminary flow sheet for leaching and SX. 
  • Awarded Best Student Paper at Colorado Subsection of the Mineral Processing Division Conference in Colorado Springs.

Significance and Impact

  • Potential to reduce import reliance for crude Ga by ~90%.
  • Sustainable and resilient domestic supply of Ga, Ge, and In. 

Hub Target Addressed 
Recover critical materials from unconventional sources. Develop highly selective separation from complex sources