Technology for extracting gallium from alumina production solutions

Gallium is in high and stable demand on the world market. Every year the consumption of this metal increases, and its production increases at the same time.

The price of metallic gallium is constantly rising.

Application

• Radio electronics
• Fiber optic electronics
• High-frequency electronics
• Semiconductor lasers
• High-temperature thermometers
• Light alloys
• Oganic synthesis
• Medicine

Production

The main source of obtaining gallium are alumina production solutions.
JSC “Titanium Institute” has a technology for extracting technical gallium from alumina production solutions by the sorption method with a gallium content in the finished product of at least 4N.

Projects

Previously, design work was completed on the construction of a gallium production workshop with a capacity of 10 tons of technical gallium per year. The customer is Nikolaev Alumina Plant LLC, Nikolaev, Ukraine.

The workshop was built and launched into production. Currently, JSC Titanium Institute is implementing the Contract for Development of Basic Engineering for the Gallium Production Site commissioned by JSC Aluminum of Kazakhstan, Republic Kazakhstan.

Advantages of technology

Sorption extraction of gallium allows:

• Select only the required component in concentrated form.
• Return remaining components to production.
• Reduce production costs due to the absence of raw material costs.

In the process of design work, JSC “Titanium Institute”, if necessary, can develop a 3D model with the mandatory use of BIM technologies (Revit).

Examples of photographs of the 3D model of the Gallium Production Shop are presented below.