Extracting Metals by Electrolysis

Key Stage 3

Electrolysis is a way to extract metals from minerals when the metal is more reactive than Carbon.

Metals that are more reactive than Carbon cannot be displaced with Carbon so electrolysis is used to extract them.


Carbon electrodes are used to pass an Electrical Current through the molten mineral. The metal collects at the cathode which carries a negative charge and the pure metal is removed from the electrolysis cell.

Extraction of metals by electrolysis is a method of obtaining a metal from a mineral.

Electrolysis is usually used to extract metals when the metal is more reactive than Carbon or the mineral is soluble in water making it cheaper to extract by electrolysis than by smelting.