There is provided a method of treating a metalliferrous material, comprising providing a metalliferrous material including at least one target metallic element, solubilising the metalliferrous material so as to effect production of an intermediate product including an operative solution. The operative solution includes a solvent component and a solute component. The solute component includes at least one solute component-based target metallic element and each one of the at least one solute component-based target metallic element corresponds to a one of the at least one target metallic element of the metalliferrous material such that the operative solution includes at least one target metallic element. The operative solution is contacted with an operative reagent in an operative reaction zone so as to effect production of a product mixture including an operative reaction product and hydronium ion, wherein the operative reaction product includes at least one operative reaction product-based target metallic element and each one of the at least one operative reaction product-based target metallic element corresponds to a one of the at least one solute component-based target metallic element of the operative solution. At least one hydronium ion depletion agent is provided in the operative reaction zone such that contacting between any one of the at least one hydronium ion depletion agent and the hydronium ion in the operative reaction zone effects a reactive process which consumes the hydronium ion. Each one of the at least one hydronium ion depletion agent include s at least one dissolved aluminium complex material.