Gallium and/or indium separation and concentration method

A method for separating gallium from other components of a gallium-containing jarosite and concentrating the gallium, said method comprising:

• adding an alkali to, and leaching, a gallium-containing jarosite to form a leached solution, which contains gallium, thereby separating at least iron from the gallium;
• adding calcium hydroxide to the leached solution to form a dealuminized product, which contains gallium, thereby separating at least aluminum from the gallium;
• and
• adding an acid to said dealuminized product to cause gallium compounds to precipitate.

A method for separating gallium and indium from other components of a solution containing traces of gallium and indium and concentrating the gallium and indium, said method comprising:

• a first step in which it is determined if the solution contains iron(III) ions, sulfate ions, and monovalent cations and, if not already present in sufficient amounts to form a jarosite, one or more of iron(III) ions, sulfate ions, and monovalent cations are added to said solution to form a solution containing iron(III) ions, sulfate ions, and monovalent cations, and in which the pH of the solution is determined and, if the pH is not from 2-4, a mineral acid or an alkali reagent is added to said solution to adjust the pH to 2-4;
• a second step in which the temperature of the solution obtained in the first step is raised to 70-100° C. under vigorous agitation, and the solution is allowed to react for 10 to 24 hours to provide jarosite in said solution, wherein the gallium and indium are coprecipitated with jarosite particles;
• and
• a third step in which the jarosite-containing solution obtained in the second step is divided into solid and liquid fractions, and the gallium- and indium-containing jarosite is recovered.