Hollow drop bubbles a proposed new technology for optimized metal extraction validated in the laboratory

A new technology for solvent extraction has been developed. This innovation, Hollow Drop, merges flotation with solvent extraction by using air bubbles coated with an insoluble extractant material. While the concept of coated bubbles is not new, our work focuses on advancing this idea by generating a swarm of coated bubbles to scale up the process. Experimental tests were conducted using dissolved copper solutions, SX extractants, Iodine solutions, and Kerosene, achieving copper recoveries of 70% with aqueous-to-organic (A/O) ratios of 17. These results demonstrate that the coated bubble process can operate continuously and holds promise for industrial-scale implementation.