Review on the recent developments in the solvent extraction of zinc

Solvent extraction (SX) of zinc is useful for the recovery of high purity zinc from the leaching solutions of its sulphide minerals, several low-grade ores, and secondary materials. The technique is fast, environmentally sustainable, and can be tailored to treat aqueous solutions of diverse compositions. It is particularly useful in the cases where the level of contamination is high and the upgrading of the desired metal is necessary. The present paper reviews the use of several acidic, basic, and solvating extractants for the recovery of zinc from different acidic media. The important aspects of the extraction processes have been discussed and some of the noteworthy applications of the SX in the treatment of ores and secondary materials are presented.