A method of extracting a
metal of interest comprises dissolving an oxidizable
metal compound in an
electrolyte contained in an
electrochemical cell; dissolving a sulfoarsenide compound comprising the
metal of interest in the
electrolyte; applying a current between an
anode and a
cathode of the
electrochemical cell to produce an electrochemical product solution comprising soluble metal ions of the oxidizable metal compound, soluble metal ions of the metal of interest, and a soluble
arsenic acid; reacting the soluble
arsenic acid with the metal ions of the oxidizable metal compound to form an insoluble
arsenate compound comprising the metal of the oxidizable metal compound; and separating the soluble metal ions of the metal of interest from the insoluble
arsenate compound. Also disclosed is a method of extracting a metal of interest from a metal containing feed
stream, and a method of isolating
cobalt from a metal containing feed
stream.