A method for purification of a cobalt containing feed solution from impurity metals by processing the feed solution through a continuous counter-current ion exchange process comprising of several beds containing weakly acidic cation exchange resin with chelating (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid functionality, arranged in interconnectable zones 1, 2, 3 - N in a simulated counter-current moving bed arrangement, wherein each bed is interconnectable with two adjacent beds, the method comprising: (a) introducing a desorbent solution of a inorganic acid, with proton concentration below 6.0 M, preferably below 4.5 M, so that impurity metals are desorbed, into one or more beds of the first, regeneration zone (zone I) and collecting an extract containing impurity metals from the same bed and/or from another bed downstream within the said regeneration zone, (b) introducing a wash solution of pH higher than the desorbent solution into one or more of said beds of the regeneration zone and collecting an extract containing impurity metals and desorbent from the said bed and/or from another beds downstream within the first, regeneration zone, (c) introducing an aqueous eluent which is a solution of a inorganic acid with pH in the range 2.0 to 0, preferably in the range 1.5-0 said pH to desorb Co but not to desorb impurity metals into one or more beds of zone downstream (zone II) to said regeneration zone, (d) introducing the cobalt containing feed solution containing Cd, Mn or Pb impurities, which feed solution has pH same or higher that of the wash solution, which pH is sufficiently high to adsorb impurity metals but sufficiently low to avoid adsorbing Co, into one or more beds of the next zone downstream (zone III) from the zone of step (c) and collecting a cobalt product raffinate solution from the said bed and/or from another beds downstream, wherein the positions where the cobalt containing feed, eluent, desorbent, and wash solution are introduced and where the impurity metals containing extract, spent wash solution, and cobalt containing raffinate are collected are changed to adjacent beds downstream to simulate the counter-current flow of the solid and liquid phases after such periods of time that cobalt propagates downstream with fluid phase in zones II and III, impurity metals propagate upstream with the simulated flow of the solid phase in zones II and III, impurity metals are desorbed in zone I, and the desorbent is washed from the resin in zone I. (a) introducing a desorbent solution of a inorganic acid, with proton concentration below 6.0 M, preferably below 4.5 M, so that impurity metals are desorbed, into one or more beds of the first, regeneration zone (zone I) and collecting an extract containing impurity metals from the same bed and/or from another bed downstream within the said regeneration zone, (b) introducing a wash solution of pH higher than the desorbent solution into one or more of said beds of the regeneration zone and collecting an extract containing impurity metals and desorbent from the said bed and/or from another beds downstream within the first, regeneration zone, (c) introducing an aqueous eluent which is a solution of a inorganic acid with pH in the range 2.0 to 0, preferably in the range 1.5-0 said pH to desorb Co but not to desorb impurity metals into one or more beds of zone downstream (zone II) to said regeneration zone, (d) introducing the cobalt containing feed solution containing Cd, Mn or Pb impurities, which feed solution has pH same or higher that of the wash solution, which pH is sufficiently high to adsorb impurity metals but sufficiently low to avoid adsorbing Co, into one or more beds of the next zone downstream (zone III) from the zone of step (c) and collecting a cobalt product raffinate solution from the said bed and/or from another beds downstream,