Recovery of indium from sulfate solution

In this study, the solvent extraction and cementation processes for the recovery of indium from sulfate solution have been studied. In the extracting step from sulfate solution, optimum values of effective parameters including, pH of aqueous solution, time of contact between phases, D2EHPA concentration in organic phase and volume ratio of aqueous phase to organic phase were obtained 0.8, 5 min, 30%W D2EHPA in organic phase and 3, respectively. In stripping stage, Sulfuric acid was used as the striping agent and optimum values of effective parameters were obtained 5 M sulfuric acid, time of 5 min and O/A=4. Cementation of indium from stripping solution was performed using zinc powder. Optimum values of effective parameters including powder quantity 2 times to stoichiometric quantity of indium, temperature of 25 °C, pH of solution 3 and time of reaction 6h were obtained. Under optimum conditions, indium recovery of at least 90% was achieved.