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Electrometallurgy
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<p>Electrometallurgy is a method in <a href="/facts/Metallurgy/1SANyxX4">metallurgy</a> that uses electrical energy to produce metals by electrolysis. It is usually the last stage in metal production and is therefore preceded by <a href="/facts/Pyrometallurgy/VuhDQhUj">pyrometallurgical</a> or <a href="/facts/Hydrometallurgy/RUW4cffs">hydrometallurgical</a> operations. The electrolysis can be done on a molten metal oxide (smelt electrolysis) which is used for example to produce aluminium from aluminium oxide via the <a href="/facts/Hall%E2%80%93H%C3%A9roult_process/CgW4b08l">Hall-Hérault process</a>. Electrolysis can be used as a final refining stage in pyrometallurgical metal production (electrorefining) and it is also used for reduction of a metal from an aqueous metal salt solution produced by hydrometallurgy (electrowinning). </p>