Method of treating the electrolyte in the electrodeposition of iron

Claim 1

METHOD OF TREATING THE ANOLYTE IN THE ELECTRO-DEPOSITION OF IRON, WHICH ANOLYTE HAS A PH OF 1.2 TO 2.0 AND CONTAINS 35 TO 100 GRAMS PER LITER OF IRON IN FERRIC CONDITION, COMPRISING CONTACTING THE ANOLYTE WITH AN EXCESS OF AN ACID SOLUBLE IRON SULPHIDE ORE CONTAINING ANOTHER METAL WHOSE SULPHIDE IS INSOLUBLE IN SAID ANOLYTE AFTER THE FERRIC IONS HAVE BEEN RECUCED TO FERROUS IONS, SUCH EXCESS OF ORE BEING SUFFICIENT TO COMPLETELY REDUCE ALL FERRIC IRON PRESENT IN THE ANOLYTE TO FERROUS IRON AND TO SUBSEQUENTLY REACT WITH THE FREE ACID PRESENT IN THE ANOLYTE TO FORM HYDROGEN SULPHIDE, DISSOLVING THE IRON AND OTHER METALS SULUBLE IN THE ANOLYTE AND CONTINUING THE LEACHING OF THE ORE BY THE ANOLYTE UNTIL THE FERRIC IRON IS COMPLETELY REDUCED TO FERROUS IRON AND HYDROGEN SULPHIDE IS THEN FORMED FROM THE FREE ACID AND PRECIPITATES THE OTHER METAL AS INSOLUBLE SULPHIDE, SEPARATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF SOLUTION AND SOLIDS, TREATING THE SOLUTION PORTION THEREFROM TO REMOVE THE HYDROGEN SULPHIDE AND THE FREE SULPHUR CONTENT, AND RETURNING THE CLEAR SOLUTION AS CATHOLYTE TO THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL.