OBJECTIVES

A limited number of extractants are available commercially for the separation of metals in solvent extraction, and the development and production of new extractants is extremely expensive. This has generated strong interest in synergistic solvent extraction (SSX) systems which use a combination of two existing extractants to improve metal separation or effect new metal separations. In SSX systems, one of these two organic reagents is utilised as the synergist to increase the metal selectivity of the other (the extractant).

The minerals industry largely uses mixer-settler technology for solvent extraction circuits. Improvements in the design and operation of mixer-settlers would benefit industry, as would evaluation and optimisation of newer technologies such as pulsed columns.

This project’s objectives are to address industry’s general and/or specific SX needs, particularly but not exclusively for nickel and cobalt recovery from nickel laterite leach solutions, by:

• developing new synergistic and conventional SX systems, with emphasis on novel SSX systems, to separate, concentrate and/or purify metals of interest to industry
  
• undertaking scaled laboratory to pilot scale test work on selected SX systems, and then working with industry on application in industry
  
• improving the efficiency of current and new SX equipment (mixer-settlers and pulsed columns).

INDUSTRY BENEFITS

• novel solvent extraction and synergistic solvent extraction technologies for improved metal separation and recovery that have been tested for selected target applications in industry
  
• recommended modifications to the design of solvent extraction equipment (mixer-settlers and pulsed columns) which will increase the separation and purification efficiency of the equipment.

RESEARCH TEAM
Dr Chu Yong Cheng (Project Leader)
Mr Yoko Pranolo
Dr Wensheng Zhang
(CSIRO Minerals)

PROJECT DURATION
2005-2008