The Extraction of Nickel, Cobalt and Copper using Solvent Impregnated Resin adsorbed LIX84-I

Amberlite XAD-4 is used for catching a very small amount of organic substances in the water. LIX84-I is indicated a good ability on the extraction of various metal elements, as known in the field of solvent extraction. In the present study, solvent impregnated resin (SIR) was devised by adsorbing LIX84-I to XAD-4, as a result, it would be having the metal extraction ability. The extraction properties of nickel, cobalt and copper were investigated by using the SIR. In the case of metal extraction by batch method, the extraction behavior of each metals using the SIR was similar to the solvent extraction using LIX84-I. Copper was selectively extracted at the pH of 3.0, nickel and cobalt were almost extracted at the pH of 9.0. As a result of using fine particle size of XAD-4 and high concentration of LIX84-I when the SIR was made, the nickel, cobalt and copper could be extracted at a more short time. In the case of column method, the SIR was enclosed in the column, metal solution was flowed from top of the column. The extraction curve of each metals were similar to the case of solvent extraction using LIX84-I and SIR batch method. As flow rate was rapid, the amount of saturated adsorption was increased. For giving back extracted metals to the water phase, stripping was carried out. In the solvent extraction using chemical reagents of LIX system, the stripping of cobalt was difficult, but in the solid-liquid extraction using the SIR, cobalt was stripped easier. It is considered that the cobalts in organic phase of SIR could not form stable Co-LIX complexes.