Concentration of Zinc and Separation of Ferric Iron from the Biochemical Lixivium of Low-grade Zinc Sulfide by Solvent Extraction

The D2EHPA-TOA organic phase was used as the solvent-extraction system for the concentration of zinc and the separation of ferric ion from the biochemical lixivium of low-grade zinc sulfide. The results indicate that the system can improve evidently the performances for zinc extraction and iron removal from zinc sulfide. The zinc saturated capacity increases by 12%. The complete stripping of zinc from the zinc-loaded D2EHPA-TOA organic phase can be achieved by 0.25 mol/L H₂SO₄ through one stage, while -68% of ferric iron is stripped from the Fe-loaded D2EHPA-TOA organic phase only by 4 mol/L H₂SO₄ through one stage.