Hydrometallurgy

A method for extractive metallurgy, or the extraction of metals from their ores, is hydrometallurgy. In hydrometallurgy, metals are recovered from ores, concentrates, and recycled or leftover materials using aqueous solutions. Pyrometallurgy, vapour metallurgy, and molten salt electrometallurgy are processing methods that are complementary to hydrometallurgy. Typically, hydrometallurgy is classified into three broad categories: Leaching; Concentration and purification of the solution; Recovery of metal or metal compounds.