What Is an Indium Scan?

Indium is a silvery white and slightly bluish metal with a very soft texture that can be scored with nails. Indium is highly malleable, malleable and can be pressed into tablets. Metal indium is mainly used as a raw material for manufacturing low-melting alloys, bearing alloys, semiconductors, and electric light sources.

Never found in nature

The distribution of indium in the earth's crust is relatively small and dispersed. Its rich ore has not been found, but only exists as an impurity in zinc and some other metal ores, so it is listed

Indium is a silver-gray, extremely soft, fusible metal. The melting point is 156.61 ° C. The boiling point is 2060 ° C. The relative density is d7.30. Liquid indium energy

From normal temperature to the melting point, indium reacts slowly with oxygen in the air, forming an extremely thin surface

The extraction process of indium is mainly extraction-electrolysis, which is also the mainstream process technology for indium production in the world today. The principle process is: indium-containing raw material enrichment chemical dissolution purification extraction back extraction zinc (aluminum) replacement sponge indium electrolytic refining refined indium.

Ninety percent of the world's indium production comes from by-products from lead-zinc smelters. The method of smelting and recovering indium is mainly from smelting slag, slag and anode slime of copper, lead and zinc, which are recovered by enrichment. According to the source of the recovered raw materials and the difference in the indium content, different extraction processes are applied to achieve the best configuration and maximum profit. Commonly used process technologies include oxidation slagging, metal replacement, electrolytic enrichment, acid leaching extraction, extraction electrolysis, ion exchange, electrolytic refining, etc. Currently more widely used is solvent extraction, which is an efficient separation and extraction process. The ion exchange method has been used for the recovery of indium, and there have been no reports of industrialization. In the process of separating indium from the less volatile tin and copper, most of the indium is concentrated in the flue ash and scum. In the separation of volatile zinc and cadmium, indium is concentrated in the slag and the filter residue.

In the ISP lead-zinc smelting process, a large part of indium in the concentrate is concentrated in the crude lead produced in the crude zinc rectification process, and the indium-rich crude lead is recovered. Small, high production costs, low metal recovery and other shortcomings.

In order to simplify the extraction process of indium, reduce the production cost, and increase the metal recovery rate, according to the original indium extraction production process, this project has researched and developed the "indium-rich crude lead electrolysis-lead electrolyte" through condition tests, cycle experiments and comprehensive tests "Indium extraction" extraction process determines the optimal process parameters of the new process. The process is as follows: the crude lead is melted and cast into an electrode plate, which is charged into an electrolytic cell to conduct electrolysis, and the indium in the anode is dissolved into the electrolyte. Crude indium is obtained after the extract is adjusted for pH, replaced, and compacted. ^[8]

Several new technologies for the separation and extraction of indium: The main separation materials used in these new technologies include liquid membranes, chelated resins, impregnated resins, and microcapsules. Under appropriate conditions, the use of these technologies can effectively separate and recover indium. These new technologies provide new options for the separation and recovery of indium. ^[9]