Chapter 10 Occurrence and extraction of metals Metal

Metals are very useful and important in our daily lives. The uses of metals are closely related to their
properties.

Uses and properties of metals:

(Ref. textbook p.3-6)

Exercise:

1. Why might aluminium roofing be preferred to steel roofing?

2. Copper pipes are more expensive than iron pipes. Why are copper pipes rather than iron pipes used
for carrying hot water?

Extraction of metals from ores:

Among the metals discovered, only a few metals (e.g. gold and platinum) exist as free elements, i.e.
pure metal, in the Earth’s crust as they are unreactive. Hence, they can be extracted easily by physical
methods.

Gold occurs in free state. It can be extracted

by panning, a mechanical/physical
separation method.

Most metals are too reactive to exist on their own. They combine with other elements and form
compounds (e.g. metal oxides, sulphides, chlorides and carbonates). These metal compounds are called
ores. Hence, chemical methods are required to extract the metals from their ores.

Name of ore Major substances inside Name of ore Major substances inside
Bauxite aluminium oxide, Al2O3 Haematite iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3
Copper pyrite CuFeS2 Galena lead(II) sulphide, PbS

There are 3 basic extraction methods:

1. Heating the metal ore alone

2. Heating the metal ore with carbon (carbon reduction)

3. Electrolysis

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Chapter 10 Occurrence and extraction of metals Metal

1. Heating the metal ore alone– extracting: mercury, silver

Used to extract unreactive metals e.g. mercury and silver. Their ores decompose during heating.

I. Silver from its ore (silver oxide or silver sulphide):

From silver oxide:

From silver sulphide:

II. Mercury from its ore(cinnabar):

2. Heating the metal ore with carbon (carbon reduction)– extracting: zinc, iron and lead

I. Extraction of iron from haematite, iron(III) oxide Fe2O3

In industry, the ore is converted to iron in a special

furnace called blast furnace. Haematite, coke,

limestone and air is added into the blast furnace,

they undergo a series of chain reactions, producing

carbon monoxide which reacts with iron(III) oxide

to form iron and carbon dioxide.

Using carbon monixde:

Using carbon:

Using hydrogen:

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Chapter 10 Occurrence and extraction of metals Metal

Draw the set-up used in extraction of iron from its ore using (i) coke and (ii) hydrogen

Explain why hydrogen is passed for 10 minutes after the oxide in the mixture has been completely
reacted and why it is burnt at the end of the tube.

II. Extraction of lead from galena, lead(II) sulphide PbS

- Using carbon:

*when metals exit as sulphides in ores, the sulphides are changed into oxides by roasting
in air before carbon reduction

- Using carbon monoxide:

- Using hydrogen:

III. Extraction of zinc from zinc blende, zinc sulphide ZnS

- Using carbon:

- Using carbon monoxide:

- Using hydrogen:

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Chapter 10 Occurrence and extraction of metals Metal

3. Electrolysis– extracting: sodium, magnesium, aluminium

Only effective methods used to extract reactive metals.

During electrolysis, purified ore is melted. Electricity passes through the molten ore and separate
metal from it.

Extraction of aluminium from bauxite, aluminium oxide Al2O3

Electrolysis of aluminium oxide to extract aluminium:

Explain why electrolysis is an expensive method?

Can solid aluminium oxide be used? Why?

Name the gaseous product produced and suggest the test for the gaseous product.

Other example: Sodium from rock salt which consists of sodium chloride

Discovery of metals

In Earth’s crust, aluminium is more abundant than iron.

However, iron was discovered much earlier than
aluminium. This is because the order of discovery of
metals is closely related to the ease of extraction of
metals.

Since iron is easier to be extracted from its ore, hence,

iron is more widely used than aluminium.

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Chapter 10 Occurrence and extraction of metals Metal

Factors affecting the availability and price of a metal

1. The abundance of metal in the Earth’s crust

2. The ease of mining its ore and the cost

3. The ease of extracting the metal from its ore and the cost of extraction

Conserving metals
 The need for conserving metals:
1. Ores are limited in the Earth’s crust
2. Ores are non-renewable
The supply of metals will soon run out if we are using the metals at the same rate as at present.
 Ways of conserving metals:
1. Reusing metal articles
2. Replacing metals by other materials
3. Reducing the use of metal articles
4. Recycling used metals
Exercise:
The table gives information of four metals.(***** - highest, * - lowest)
Metal Density (g cm-3) Strength Corrosion resistance
Aluminium 2.7 * ****
Copper 8.9 *** ****
Mild steel 7.8 ***** *
Titanium 4.5 ***** *****
(a) Aluminium is used for overhead power cables. These cables have a steel core.
(i) Aluminium and copper are both good electrical conductors.
Explain why aluminium rather than copper is used for overhead cables.
(ii) Why do the cables have a steel core?
(b) The following is an extract from an article in a science magazine.

Until now, the cost of extraction has made titanium very expensive.
(i) It is likely that the discovery of the new method of extracting titanium will increase demand
for the metal. Explain why.
(ii) What are the benefits to society of this new method of extraction of titanium?
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