liquid-liquid extraction of gallium from jajarm bayer process liquor using kelex 100

the solvent extraction of gallium from a concentrated jajarm bayer process liquor containing 164.90 g/l of na2o, 86.70 g/l of al2o3 and 106.02 ppm of gallium was investigated using 10 vol.% kelex100, a 7-alkyl substituted-8 hydroxyquinoline as an extractant, 10 vol.% etanol as a modifier and kerosene as a diluent. at (vo :va = 1.0:1.0) organic to aqueous phase ratio and at room temperature, 93.39% of gallium was recovered in 60 minutes. back extraction studies of the loaded organic phase were carried out using hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide. scrubbing of aluminium co-extracted into the organic phase was carried out with 5.0 m hcl and subsequently stripping of gallium was carried out with 1.5 m hcl. the final strip liquor was found to contain 490 ppm of gallium along with 141.73 ppm of aluminium.