Separation of gallium and copper from hydrochloric acid by D₂EHPA

Solvent extraction offers a better option for gallium recovery among many techniques. The liquid–liquid extraction of gallium(III)–copper(II) solution from hydrochloric acid medium using di-2-ethyl-hexylphosphoric acid (D₂EHPA) in kerosene was studied. The effect of the reagent concentration and other parameters on the extraction of gallium(III)–copper(II) was also studied. The stoichiometry of the extracted species of gallium(III) was determined based on the slope analysis method. The maximum extraction efficiency of gallium was 99.9%. The gallium that contained organic phase could be stripped completely by 1 M HCl.