Germanium Extraction from Sulfuric Acid Solutions in the Presence of Thiocyanate Ion

Abstract

The extraction of Ge (IV) from sulfuric acid solutions in the presence of thiocyanate ion with various extractants (caprylic, poly(2-ethylhexyl)phosphonitrile, bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) dithiophosphinic acids, trialkylmethylammonium thiocyanate, etc.) has been studied. In all cases, the thiocyanate ion increases germanium extraction as compared to the extraction from sulfuric acid solutions. During the germanium extraction with bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)dithiophosphinic acid (Cyanex 301, HR), a significant increase in the germanium extraction is due to the formation of a cationic intracomplex compound of the composition [Ge(OH)3-nRn]+[HSO4], where n = 1-3. Due to the large synergistic effect for the extraction of Ge, it is possible to use an extractant with a concentration of 0.1-0.15 mol/l. Trialkylmethylammonium thiocyanate (TAMAR), also shows a high efficiency of germanium extraction from sulfate thiocyanate solutions. For 5-6 stages of extraction with a 0.5 M solution of ТАМАР, the extraction of Ge was 99.5 %. The composition of the extracted complex supposedly corresponds to (R4N)2[Ge(CNS)6]. The use of extraction systems based on Cyanex 301 and ТАМАR in the presence of thiocyanate ion significantly reduces the concentration of extractants and is of undoubted practical interest for hydrometallurgical processes for the germanium extraction