Oxide Zinc Solvent Extraction

Electrowinning (SXEW)

Oxide Zinc Solvent Extraction
Electrowinning (SXEW)

Leaching of oxide zinc ore
The zinc is dissolved in a weak sulfuric acid leach solution.

Solvent Extraction
The leach solution is mixed with an organic extraction
solution containing a reagent that selectively extracts and
concentrates the zinc from the leach solution.

Electrolyte Solution
A strong acid electrolyte solution is mixed with the solvent
extraction solution and the zinc is removed from the
extraction solution into the electrolyte solution

Electrowinning
Electrolytic reduction of the electrolyte solution to produce
SHG, 99.995 %, zinc.
Skorpion
The Skorpion Mine located in Namibia,
Africa is, to date,
the only mine in the world using solvent
extraction
electrowinning (SXEW) to treat oxide zinc
ore.
Skorpions feasibility study cost of about
$0.25 per
pound compared to the smelter cost of
about $0.35 per
pound is about a 30% cost of production
advantage. The
success of Skorpion validates the SXEW
process for
treating oxide zinc ore.
SXEW technology and high grade,
10%, makes Skorpion
one of the worlds lowest cost producers.