The method of zone refining of metals is based on the principle of

Greater mobility of the pure metal than that of the impurity

Higher melting point of the impurity than that of the pure metal

Greater noble character of the solid metal than that of the impurity

Greater solubility of the impurity in the molten state in the solid

Zone refining is a method of purifying crystals, in which a narrow region of a crystal is melted, and this molten zone is moved along the crystal.
The molten region melts impure solid at its forward edge and leaves a wake of purer material solidified behind it as it moves through the ingot.
The impurities concentrate in the melt, and are moved to one end of the ingot.
Zone refining was invented by John Desmond Bernal and further developed by William Gardner Pfann as a method to prepare high purity materials, mainly semiconductors, for manufacturing transistors.
Eg: silicon, germanium etc are purified by this process.

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