Abstract: The purpose of the method is to remove chlorides and fluorides from a valuable metal raw material by leaching the raw material into sulphuric acid solution and by crystallizing the valuable metal sulphate selectively out of the solution. The valuable metal sulphate crystals are washed in sulphuric acid solution, and the recovered dechlorinated and defluorinated crystals are leached into water and conducted into electrolysis. The sulphuric acid solution employed in the raw material leaching and in the crystal washing is preferably the same as the return acid of the electrolysis. Chlorides and fluorides are removed from the mother liquor of crystallization in the bleed.