Extraction of gold(III) in hydrochloric acid solution using monoamide compounds

The extraction and separation properties of Au(III) using two monoamide compounds, N,N-di-n-octylacetamide (DOAA) and N,N-di-n-octyllauramide (DOLA), which have different side chain lengths attached to the carbonyl carbon (CH3 for DOAA and n-C11H23 for DOLA), were investigated. The solvent extraction of some precious and base metals (Au(III), Pd(II), Pt(IV), Rh(III), Fe(III), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)) in HCl solutions was carried out using DOAA and DOLA diluted with n-dodecane and 2-ethylhexanol. A good selectivity for Au(III) extraction with 0.5 M extractant is obtained at lower HCl concentrations (< 3.0 M) in both systems. The extractability of Au(III) with DOAA is greater than that with DOLA. In the 0.5 M DOAA–3.0 M HCl system, a third phase is formed when the Au(III) concentration in the initial aqueous phase is over 39 g/L. In contrast, third phase formation is not found in the 0.5 M DOLA–3.0 M HCl system, and its loading capacity of Au(III) is about 79 g/L. The Au(III) extracted in the organic phase is effectively back-extracted by 1.0 M thiourea in 1.0 M HCl solution in both systems, while some thiourea is precipitated using the organic phase containing 20 g/L of Au(III). The back extraction of Au(III) using water is poor in the DOAA system, but possible in the DOLA system.