| Abstract Scope |
Chlorine metallurgy has been studied to recover metals from complex ores, treat waste, or recover critical elements in waste streams. It has been evaluated for the recovery of valuable material from sulfides, oxides, and silicate ores. Chlorine metallurgy offers several advantages, such as opening ores, selectivity, regeneration of the chlorinating agents, and process versatility. During the production of primary zinc, gallium, germanium, and indium are enriched during the hydrometallurgical process. However, during the purification of the leachate, these elements report with the precipitate. The research objectives were: (1) explore selective chlorination to fume Ga, and Ge from zinc plant leach residues and (2) investigate, modify, and optimize the flowsheet for a primary zinc residue to include the capture of Ga, In, and Ge. Experimental results are presented, and a preliminary flow sheet is identified. |