Abstract: Apparatus for electrolytically refining copper by the series process comprises a tank having an inner surface of an electrically insulating synthetic polymeric material that is substantially inert to an electrolyte solution to be contained in the tank and, associated with the tank, baffles for reducing current flow that would otherwise occur around the edges of electrodes when immersed in the electroltye solution. These baffles comprise sheets of an electrically insulating material that is inert to the electrolyte solution. A pair of such sheets constitutes side baffles each of such a shape and size that it can be positioned with its major surfaces vertical between side edges of a group of electrodes when immersed in the tank and a neighboring side wall of the tank throughout the length of the group.

Abstract: Metal, e.g., copper, is electrolytically refined by a series process in which the intermediate electrodes are removed from the tank of electrolyte solution before all the impure metal has been dissolved from them, and each partially refined intermediate electrode so formed is passed in turn through apparatus which mechanically separates the pure and impure metal of the electrode. Preferably the electrode-separating apparatus distorts the pure and impure metal of the electrode to such an extent that they are separated. The separated pure and impure metals of each electrode are preferably conveyed from the electrode-separating apparatus along separate predetermined paths. All these operations are preferably effected automatically.