About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Rare Metal Extraction & Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
An Integrated Strategy and Process for Recovery of Germanium from Metallurgical By-Products and Waste Streams |
| Author(s) |
Jerome Downey, Grant Wallace, Caden Ingraham |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Caden Ingraham |
| Abstract Scope |
Germanium is a strategic material that is an essential component in electronics, optics, and solar cell applications. Germanium does not commonly form ores in mineable quantities, but can become enriched in metallurgical waste streams. The present study involves a multi-staged hydro- and pyrometallurgical flowsheet for the recovery of germanium from metallurgical wastes. Feedstocks from local metallurgical operations have been assayed using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to establish germanium content. Following feed-specific pretreatment, germanium is adsorbed onto magnetite particles, which are then magnetically separated from solution with high efficiency. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms have been modeled, and competitive adsorption experiments with common gangue elements completed. The influence of various surface functionalizations on magnetite’s germanium uptake has been investigated. Additional work quantifying the selectivity of magnetite particles for germanium in multicomponent solutions is ongoing, with the goal of optimizing the final purification step. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Hydrometallurgy, Sustainability |