A metal extracted by any method is usually contaminated with some impurity. For obtaining metals of high purity, several techniques are used depending upon the differences in properties of the metal and the impurity. Some of them are listed below:

(a) Distillation

(b) Liquation

(c) Electrolysis

(d) Zone refining

(e) Vapour phase refining

(f) Chromatographic methods

What is the anode made up of in electrolytic refining?

Impure metal

In electrolytic refining, the impure metal is transformed into a block that serves as the anode, while a pure strip of the same metal serves as the cathode. The electrolyte is often a mixture of a soluble metal salt, typically a double salt of the metal.