Precipitation of indium using sodium tripolyphosphate

• Published in: Hydrometallurgy Vol. 106; no. 3; pp. 165 - 169
• Main Authors: Jiang, Jibo, Liang, Duoqiang, Zhong, Qingdong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Dissolution; Indium; Precipitates; Precipitation; Pressure leaching liquor; Reaction time; Recovery; Sodium; Sodium tripolyphosphate; Solvent extraction; Pressure leaching liquor; Indium; Recovery; Sodium tripolyphosphate
• ISSN: 0304-386X; 1879-1158
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2010.12.009

The main purpose of this study was to precipitate indium and extract indium from pressure oxidative leaching liquor using sodium tripolyphosphate. Various influential factors were evaluated in the paper, such as pH value, temperature, reaction time, molar ratio of Na 5P 3O 10/indium and metal ions including Fe 3+, Fe 2+, Cu 2+, Cd 2+, Zn 2+, etc. Over 95% of the indium was precipitated under the conditions employed, e.g. at a pH of 2.6, with a Na 5P 3O 10 to indium molar ratio of 0.91, and 1.5 h reaction time. The chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the main component of the precipitates was NaIn 3 (P 3O 10) 2·12H 2O. The resulting precipitate was dissolved by using NaOH solution and hot sulfuric acid solution respectively, and then the solution was subjected to solvent extraction and cementation using zinc powder for the recovery of indium. ► An attempt was made to develop a new process to precipitate indium from pressure oxidative leaching liquor using sodium tripolyphosphate. ► The temperature has no significant effect on indium precipitation in the range of 25–65 °C. ► The resulting precipitation was dissolved and the solution was subject to solvent extraction and cementation. ► The Indium precipitation percentage was above 95% under optimum conditions and total recovery ratio of indium was more than 95%.