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|[[File:ElectrolysisCell.png|center|500px]]
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| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |[[Carbon]] [[electrode]]s are used to pass an [[Electrical Current]] through the [[molten]] [[mineral]]. The [[metal]] collects at the [[cathode]] which carries a negative [[Electrical Charge|charge]] and the [[pure]] [[metal]] is removed from the [[Electrolysis Cell|'''electrolysis ''' cell]].
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*Electrolysis of the Mineral in Solution - Used when the [[mineral]] is [[soluble]] in [[water]] and the [[metal]] does not [[Chemical Reaction|react]] with [[water]].
*Electrolysis of the Molten Mineral - Used when the [[mineral]] is [[insoluble]] in [[water]] or the [[metal]] [[Chemical Reaction|reacts]] strongly with [[water]].
: [[Aluminium]] is a special case in which the [[mineral]] is not [[dissolve]]d in [[water]] but in a [[solvent]] called [[Cryolite]] at very high [[temperature]]s. This is done because the [[mineral]] [[melt]]s at an even higher [[temperature]] than the [[cryolite]] so it is easier to [[dissolve]] it in the [[cryolite]] than to heat the [[mineral]] beyond its [[Melting Point|melting point]].
===Electrolysis of Molten Minerals===