Vol. 24, No. 3 (2025), Proc25627 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Proc25627

Zinc solvent extraction from waste electronic card leaching solutions

 

Authors

E.G. Sustaita-Martínez, J.L. Valenzuela-García, G. Martínez-Ballesteros, B. Valdez-Salas, M.M. Salazar-Campoy, G. López-Aviles

Abstract

In this study, the purification of a leach solution obtained from waste electronic cards was investigated to separate zinc from base metals (Cu, Fe, and Ni) and to produce a purified ZnSO₄ solution through solvent extraction. A comparative evaluation was performed using Cyanex 272 and D2EHPA as extractants at 15% v/v in the organic phase, achieving zinc extraction efficiencies of 94% and 90%, respectively, at pH 3.0 and an O/A phase ratio of 1.2:1. McCabe–Thiele diagrams indicated that two theoretical extraction stages are required for Cyanex 272, whereas three stages were needed for D2EHPA. During the stripping stage, sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) solutions at concentrations of 180 and 200 g/L were tested under varying phase ratios. Under optimal conditions, a stripping efficiency of 95% was obtained for the organic phase loaded with Cyanex 272 (O/A = 1:1), while 94% was achieved for D2EHPA under the same phase ratio.

Keywords

Zinc, Solvent Extraction, Cyanex 272, D2EHPA, Secondary Resources.

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