Investigation of Recovery of Zinc Ions from Zinc-Containing Leached Malachite Ore by D2EHPA Extractant

In this study, the recovery of Zn2+ from the actual leach solution obtained after leaching smithsonite ore in sulfuric acid solutions was investigated by applying the solvent extraction method. The organic phase was prepared using D2EHPA and kerosene. The effects of the initial pH of the solution, extractant concentration, stirring time, and stirring speed on the extraction process were investigated. It was determined that the extraction efficiency increased with the increase in the extractant concentration, the initial pH of the aqueous solution, the stirring speed, and the stirring time. In order to selectively increase the transfer of Zn2+ from the aqueous phase to the organic phase, the optimal values for the initial pH of the aqueous phase, extractant concentration, stirring time, and stirring speed were determined as 3.5, 0.1 mol/L, 10 min, and 500 rpm, respectively. The stoichiometry and mechanism of the extraction process were determined by applying the equilibrium slope method.