Abstract: To produce ferric chloride, pickle liquor containing ferrous chloride and fortified with sufficient HCl is converted to ferric chloride in the presence of oxygen in a tower at a temperature above 132° F. The ferric chloride solution from the tower is subjected to evaporation so as to increase the concentration of the ferric chloride. The resultant concentrate is recycled into the tower until a concentration of about 40% by weight ferric chloride is obtained. A gas phase from either or both of the tower and the evaporator is scrubbed in order to remove HCl which can be used to fortify the pickle liquor.