Abstract:In order to extract gallium from a high-silica-content flue dust generated in corundum production, a mixed acid solution of H₂SO₄ and HF was used for leaching, and test parameters of the leaching process were optimized. Experimental results show that the leaching rate of gallium was only 38% when H₂SO₄ was used as leaching agent. Composition analysis results of micro areas in this corundum flue dust indicate that the content of gallium in silica-enriched phases was high; this portion of gallium was insoluble in H₂SO₄ solution. The leaching rate of gallium increased significantly with addition of HF due to corrosion of silica. Effects of reaction time, temperature, and concentrations of HF and H₂SO₄ on leaching rates of gallium were investigated. The leaching rate of gallium reached 91% when this corundum flue dust was leached in a mixed acid solution of H₂SO₄ and HF for 4 h, at a temperature of 80 °C, with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 5:1 (mL/g). The optimal concentrations of H₂SO₄ and HF in the mixed acid solution were 1.5 and 6.4 mol/L, respectively.

Key words: gallium; leaching; corundum flue dust; sulphuric acid; hydrofluoric acid; silica