What materials are used for anodes and cathodes in zinc electrolysis cells?

In the context of zinc electrolysis cells used for metal extraction and refining, the electrodes are composed of the following materials:

• Anodes: These are made of lead containing 0.5–1.0 percent silver.1
• Cathodes: These consist of aluminum sheet.1

In these cells, which are typically lead-lined concrete, the zinc is deposited onto the aluminum cathodes. The process relies on maintaining a high-purity zinc sulfate electrolyte to ensure proper deposition and prevent the generation of hydrogen.1

It is important to note that this configuration differs from other electrolytic processes, such as electrogalvanizing, where insoluble anodes may instead be constructed from titanium coated with iridium oxide.2