The principle of electrolytic refining is to get high purity metals.
Copper and zinc are refined by using this method.
Process of electrolytic refining
The impure metal is used as the anode in this process.
As a cathode, a strip of the same metal is used in pure form.
They are immersed in an electrolytic bath containing a soluble metal salt.
The less basic metals end up in the anode mud, whereas the more basic metals stay in the solution.
Example
Copper is refined using an electrolytic method. Anodes are of impure copper and pure copper strips are taken as the cathode.
The electrolyte is acidified solution of copper sulfate and the net result of electrolysis is the transfer of copper in pure form from the anode to the cathode: