▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - An electrolyte is treated by feeding electrolyte into electrochemical polishing reactor having anode and high-surface area cathode, where electrolyte comprises 1st metal ion and 2nd metal ion, 1st metal is more noble than 2nd metal, 1st metal ion is present in electrolyte at a lower concentration than 2nd metal ion, and 2nd metal ion is a lead ion; and controlling electrode potential at the high-surface area cathode to reduce the 1st metal ion in the presence of the 2nd metal ion to produce pre-treated electrolyte that comprises the 2nd metal and that is substantially depleted of the 1st metal. USE - Treatment of an electrolyte. ADVANTAGE - A lead ion containing electrolyte can be pre-treated to reduce the metal ion content for those metals that are more noble than lead in a given electrolyte (i.e., metals that have a more positive electrode potential in the given electrolyte). Such pre-treated electrolyte will enable electrochemical production of metallic lead at very high purity. Moreover, removal of the metals that are more noble than lead will also allow for recovery of valuable commodities, and especially copper and silver. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for treatment of lead-enriched electrolyte which involves feeding lead-enriched electrolyte into electrochemical polishing reactor, where lead-enriched electrolyte comprises at least one other metal ion that has an electrode potential that is higher than that of lead; and applying a low current or controlling electrode potential to the high-surface area cathode to reduce the other metal ion on the high-surface area cathode to produce a pre-treated lead-enriched electrolyte and a cathode onto which the other metal is plated.