In this paper, an investigation of the selective chlorination of targeted elements from goethite residues is performed. Goethite is an iron precipitated residue which results from the zinc industry, it contains many valuable elements as well as heavy elements. The recycling of these elements is economically and environmentally beneficial. The aims of this investigation are to recover the targeted valuable elements from the goethite, and to explain the fundamentals of the chlorination process. The effects of using different chlorination agents, such as aluminium chloride hexahydrate and magnesium chloride hexahydrate, as well as the influences of using various stoichiometric amounts of these agents, are studied with regard to how effectively the targeted elements are extracted. It was found that the targeted elements can be extracted more effectively using magnesium chloride hexahydrate.