Selective separation of gallium from aluminum in SDS-Ga-Al and SDS-Ga-Al-fluoride systems by ion flotation

Selective separation of gallium from aluminum by ion flotation using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an anionic surfactant and fluoride as an inorganic ligand was investigated. The experimental results were analyzed using the stability constants and speciation diagrams of fluoride metal complexes. The presence of fluoride in the solution has a positive influence upon the separation of gallium from aluminum. The results show that increasing the fluoride concentration makes a more effective separation of gallium from aluminum because of a simultaneous increase in the complexion of aluminum with fluoride and a change in the electrical charge of the aluminum (ALF(4) (-)). The dehydration model of LIU and DOYLE was also applied to compare the ion flotation and the selectivity coefficients of gallium over aluminum with experimental results.