Abstract:Selective extraction of zinc from sulfate leach solution of zinc ore was studied. D2EHPA dissolved in 260^＃kerosene was used as extractant. The pH-extraction isotherms show the extraction order of D2EHPA for metals is 
Fe³⁺＞Zn²⁺＞Ca²⁺＞Al³⁺＞Mn²⁺＞Cu²⁺＞Cd²⁺＞Co²⁺＞Ni²⁺＞Mg²⁺(pH0.5). This confirms that Fe³⁺ is preferentially extracted before the extraction of zinc. Extraction experiments were carried out with varying the extractant content, equilibration time, aqueous pH and phase ratio, and the solvent extraction of zinc with sodium salt of D2EHPA were also investigated. Some impurity co-extracted into the zinc loaded organic phase was efficiently removed by scrub, and the Fe³⁺ was hardly stripped from organic phase by sulfuric acid, hence zinc was separated from Fe³⁺ by selective stripping. A pregnant zinc sulfate solution with low contaminants was obtained by selective solvent extraction.

Key words: solvent extraction; zinc; stripping; D2EHPA