3. Extraction processes and industrial cases

Processes differ according to the three main types of resource: nitrates, brines and phosphates.

To extract iodine from caliche, all soluble salts are usually brought into solution in pits or heaps, and more recently in stirred reactors. Iodine can be recovered by combining oxidation (by Cl ₂ , H ₂ O ₂ ) and/or reduction (SO ₂ , $\text{HS}{\text{O}}_3^{-}$ ) reactions and various I ₂ separation techniques (flotation, extraction in kerosene, blowing out process,...