NCERT Solutions
Class 12 Chemistry
General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements

Q.26
Outline the principles of refining of metals by the following methods:
(i) Zone refining
(ii) Electrolytic refining
(iii) Vapour phase refining?
(i) Zone refining: Zone refining is based on the principle that impurities
are more soluble in the melt than in the solid state of the metal. The
impure metal bar is heated with the help of circular coils fitted
around this bar and slowly moved longitudinally from one end to
another of impure metal. At the heated zone the bar melts and as the
heater mover on pure metal crystallizes while the impurities pass into
the adjacent molten portion. In this way the impurities are swept
from one end of the bar to another. As the molten bar is removed
from the heating coil, it cools Pure metal crystallizes out, leaving the
impurities in the molten metal portion. When the molten metal
portion carrying impurities with increased concentration reaches the
end of the rod, it is allowed to cool and is cut off. The process is
repeated several times to get pure metal of 99.99% purity.
(ii) Electrolytic refining: Electrolytic refining is the process of refining
impure metals by using electricity. In this process, impure metal is
made the anode and a strip of pure metal is made the cathode. A
solution of a soluble salt of the same metal is taken as the
electrolyte. When an electric current is passed, metal ions from the
electrolyte are deposited at the cathode as pure metal and the
impure metal from the anode dissolves into the electrolyte in the
form of ions. The impurities present in the impure metal gets
collected below the anode. This is known as anode mud (or sludge).
(iii) Vapour phase refining: Vapour phase refining is the process of
refining metal by converting it into its volatile compound and then,
decomposing it to obtain a pure metal. To carry out this process, (i)
the metal should form a volatile compound with an avai lable reagent,
and (ii) the volatile compound should be easily decomposable so that
the metal can be easily recovered. Nickel, zirconium, and titanium are
refined using this method.