Bauxite: Difference between revisions

 

During the processing of bauxite to [[Aluminium oxide|alumina]] in the [[Bayer process]], gallium accumulates in the [[sodium hydroxide]] liquor. From this it can be extracted by a variety of methods. The most recent is the use of [[ion-exchange resin]].<ref name="Frenzel-2016">{{Cite journal|last1=Frenzel|first1=Max|last2=Ketris|first2=Marina P.|last3=Seifert|first3=Thomas|last4=Gutzmer|first4=Jens|date=March 2016|title=On the current and future availability of gallium|journal=Resources Policy|volume=47|pages=38–50|doi=10.1016/j.resourpol.2015.11.005}}</ref> Achievable extraction efficiencies critically depend on the original concentration in the feed bauxite. At a typical feed concentration of 50 ppm, about 15 percent of the contained gallium is extractable.<ref name="Frenzel-2016" /> The remainder reports to the [[red mud]] and [[aluminium hydroxide]] streams.<ref name="Moskalyk">{{Cite journal|last=Moskalyk|first=R. R.|date=2003|title=Gallium: the backbone of the electronics industry|journal=Minerals Engineering|volume=16|issue=10|pages=921–929|doi=10.1016/j.mineng.2003.08.003}}</ref>

 

==See also==