Abstract: The invention comprises leaching of ore or other materials containing gold and/or silver with an electrolyzed sodium bromide solution. A quantity of electric current is passed through a volume of 5% to 50% by weight sodium bromide solution to generate a quantity of active bromine. The active bromine oxidizes available gold to a solubilized or complexed form of AuBr.sub.3, or available silver to a solubilized or complexed form of AgBr. Gold or silver are separated therefrom in a manner which also generates Br.sup.- ions in solution. The Br.sup.- ion containing solution is combined with the 5% to 50% NaBr solution to make the Br.sup.- ions in such solution available for electrical regeneration into active bromine. Only in minimal, if any, amount of bromine from the 5% to 50% NaBr solution is depleted in the process.