Extraction of metals

(Iron and aluminum)

Redox reactions are involved in the extraction of metals from their ores, e.g. extracting
iron by reduction within the blast furnace. Transition metals have high melting points
and densities, form colored compounds and act as catalysts.

Extraction of iron
 The blast furnace
Iron is extracted from iron ore in a huge container called a blast furnace. Iron ores such
as hematite contain iron (III) oxide, Fe2O3. The oxygen must be removed from the iron
(III) oxide in order to leave the iron behind. Reactions in which oxygen is removed are
called reduction reactions.

 Raw materials for the reaction

Raw material Contains Function

Iron ore Iron(III) oxide

A compound that the iron is extracted from
(hematite) (Fe2O3)

Used as a fuel and reacts to form carbon monoxide

Coke Carbon (C)
(needed to reduce the iron(III) oxide)

Calcium carbonate Helps to remove acidic impurities from the iron by

Limestone
(CaCO3) reacting with them to form molten slag

Provides oxygen to allow the coke to burn, and so

Air Oxygen (O2)
produces heat
Carbon is more reactive than iron, so it can displace iron from iron(III) oxide. Here are
the equations for the reaction.

 Step 1 – Hot air (oxygen) reacts with the coke (carbon) to produce carbon
dioxide and heat energy to heat up the furnace.

C(s) + O2 (g) → CO2 (g)

 Step 2 – More coke is added to the furnace and reduces the carbon dioxide into
carbon monoxide, a good reducing agent.

CO2 (g) + C(s) → 2CO (g)

 Step 3 – iron (III) oxide is reduced.

Iron (III) oxide + carbon → iron + carbon dioxide

2Fe2O3(s) + 3C(s) → 4Fe (l) + 3CO2 (g)

In this reaction, the iron (III) oxide is reduced to iron, and the carbon is oxidized to
carbon dioxide.

In the blast furnace, it is so hot that carbon monoxide can be used, in place of carbon,
to reduce the iron (III) oxide:

Iron (III) oxide + carbon monoxide → iron + carbon dioxide

Fe2O3(s) + 3CO (g) → 2Fe (l) + 3CO2 (g)

  Removing impurities
The calcium carbonate in the limestone thermally decomposes to form calcium oxide.

Calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide

CaCO3(s) → CaO(s) + CO2 (g)

The calcium oxide then reacts with silica (sand) impurities in the hematite, to produce
slag – which is calcium silicate. This is separated from the iron and used to make road
surfaces.

Calcium oxide + silica → calcium silicate

CaO(s) + SiO2(s) → CaSiO3 (l)

This reaction is a neutralization reaction. Calcium oxide is basic (as it is a metal oxide)

and silica is acidic (as it is a non-metal oxide).

Extraction of Aluminum
Metals are found in ores combined with other elements. Electrolysis can be used
to extract a more reactive metal from the ore.’

 Extraction of aluminum
Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust. It is expensive, largely
because of the amount of electricity required in the extraction process.

Aluminium ore is called bauxite. The bauxite is purified to produce aluminium oxide, a

white powder from which aluminum can be extracted.

The extraction is done by electrolysis. The ions in the aluminium oxide must be free to
move so that electricity can pass through it. Aluminium oxide has a very high melting
point so it would be expensive to melt it. Aluminium oxide does not dissolve in water,
but it does dissolve in molten cryolite. This is an aluminium compound with a lower
melting point than aluminium oxide. The use of cryolite reduces some of the energy
costs involved in extracting aluminium.
 The diagram shows an aluminium oxide electrolysis cell. The negative electrodes
(cathodes) and the positive electrodes (anodes) are made of graphite, a form of carbon.

During electrolysis:

 positively charged aluminium ions gain electrons from the cathode, and form molten
aluminium
 oxide ions lose electrons at the anode, and form oxygen molecules

Al3+ + 3e– → Al (reduction – gain electrons)

The oxygen reacts with the carbon in the electrodes, forming carbon dioxide which
bubbles off. Carbon is therefore lost from the positive electrodes, so they must be
replaced frequently. This adds to the cost of the process.