Chromatography columns for the purification of eluates from .sup.68Ge/.sup.68Ga generators comprising silica as stationary phase and purification processes that use said columns are described.

Chromatography columns for the purification of eluates from .sup.68Ge/.sup.68Ga generators comprising silica as stationary phase and purification processes that use said columns are described.

Compositions and methods are provided that provide recovery of metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, indium, and other metals are recovered from mine tailings, in situ ore bodies, or postconsumer waste. An amine-containing lixiviant is utilized to generate an aqueous solution of the desired metal from insoluble salts present in the source material. Metals can be recovered and further purified by various processes, including extraction into an immiscible organic solvent, electrowinning, crystallization, and chemical reduction. Spent lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled back into the metal recovery process.

Compositions and methods are provided that provide recovery of metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, indium, and other metals are recovered from mine tailings, in situ ore bodies, or postconsumer waste. An amine-containing lixiviant is utilized to generate an aqueous solution of the desired metal from insoluble salts present in the source material. Metals can be recovered and further purified by various processes, including extraction into an immiscible organic solvent, electrowinning, crystallization, and chemical reduction. Spent lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled back into the metal recovery process.

A method of midstream production of Ge and Ga from an REE extraction process is compatible with downstream industrial processes, and may produce Ge and Ga that is 90% pure as oxides, salts, or metals. A method for producing critical minerals includes vaporizing a feedstock comprising the critical minerals; cooling the vaporized feedstock to a condensation temperature of a critical mineral; and capturing the condensed critical mineral. Systems and methods disclosed herein for producing critical minerals are integrated into a rare earth extraction process to co-produce germanium and gallium concentrates.

The present invention encompasses a method of selectively separating Ga from wastewaters with the aid of a dialysis method. This exploits the particular complexation behaviour of Ga, which forms an unstable tetrahalo complex. This forms only in the case of a sufficiently high halide concentration. Since the halide concentration becomes lower across the membrane, the Ga-tetrahalo complex breaks down in the membrane, as a result of which the Ga is retained. Other metals such as In and Fe do not show this behaviour, and therefore the tetrahalo complexes of these metals can pass through the membrane and hence can be selectively separated off.

The present invention encompasses a method of selectively separating Ga from wastewaters with the aid of a dialysis method. This exploits the particular complexation behaviour of Ga, which forms an unstable tetrahalo complex. This forms only in the case of a sufficiently high halide concentration. Since the halide concentration becomes lower across the membrane, the Ga-tetrahalo complex breaks down in the membrane, as a result of which the Ga is retained. Other metals such as In and Fe do not show this behaviour, and therefore the tetrahalo complexes of these metals can pass through the membrane and hence can be selectively separated off.

Any metal having a low α-ray emission, the metal being any one of tin, silver, copper, zinc, or indium, wherein an emission of an α-ray after heating the metal at 100° C. in an atmosphere for six hours is 0.002 cph/cm.sup.2 or less. Any metal of tin, silver, copper, zinc and indium each including lead as an impurity is dissolved to prepare a hydrosulfate aqueous solution of the metal and lead sulfate is precipitated and removed in the solution. The lead sulfate is precipitated in the hydrosulfate aqueous solution by adding a lead nitrate aqueous solution including lead having an α-ray emission of 10 cph/cm.sup.2 or less to the hydrosulfate aqueous solution, from which the lead sulfate has been removed, and, at the same time, the solution is circulated while removing the lead sulfate to electrowinning the metal using the hydrosulfate aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution.

The present invention relates to a reduction device using a liquid metal, which can improve the oxidation reaction of a reducing agent for reducing a material to be reduced using a liquid metal, while simultaneously effectively controlling the same. The reduction device according to the present invention comprises: a storage unit in which the liquid metal is supplied and stored; a reducing agent positioned in the storage unit; a reduction unit positioned on a side of the storage unit, which receives a material to be reduced and enables fluid communication with the storage unit; and a liquid metal storage unit. According to the present invention, a reducing agent, which has strong reducing ability, is sublimated using a liquid metal, thereby further improving the reduction capability, and the same is also controlled precisely, thereby removing restrictions on use resulting from the explosive reaction of the reducing agent, and guaranteeing efficient operation.

The present invention relates to a reduction device using a liquid metal, which can improve the oxidation reaction of a reducing agent for reducing a material to be reduced using a liquid metal, while simultaneously effectively controlling the same. The reduction device according to the present invention comprises: a storage unit in which the liquid metal is supplied and stored; a reducing agent positioned in the storage unit; a reduction unit positioned on a side of the storage unit, which receives a material to be reduced and enables fluid communication with the storage unit; and a liquid metal storage unit. According to the present invention, a reducing agent, which has strong reducing ability, is sublimated using a liquid metal, thereby further improving the reduction capability, and the same is also controlled precisely, thereby removing restrictions on use resulting from the explosive reaction of the reducing agent, and guaranteeing efficient operation.