The Extraction of Gallium from Zinc Ores

Citation

Nies, Henry Todd (1923) The Extraction of Gallium from Zinc Ores. Bachelor's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/A9T6-E248. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-02242005-164254

Abstract

The discovery of small amounts of gallium in zinc ores showed the possibility of its presence in a small quantity of zinc ore residues on hand at the Institute. Germanium had been previously extracted from the ore, and later, part of the zinc was recovered. During this work, the presence of gallium was shown by spectroscopic tests, and indium was at the same time shown to be absent.

In the present investigation, the reactions of different gallium compounds were studied and the action of various reagents on the residues observed, with a view toward the development of a distinctive test for gallium and finally toward the separation and purification of gallium from the residues. The residues consisted of approximately eighty liters of saturated zinc sulfate solution, containing small quantities of gallium together with various impurities.

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