CHAPTER 4

4.1 VARIETY OF MINERALS

▪ A variety of minerals are found in the crust that are commonly found in rocks.

▪ What are minerals?

▪ Minerals - natural substances with a fixed chemical composition.

▪ Minerals exist in the form of: -

o Elements (Gold, Silver, Mercury, Platinum, Carbon and Sulphur)

o Compounds (Bauxite, Hematite, Galena, Cassiterite, Pyrite, Magnesite & Calcite)

Aluminium Oxide Carbon Magnesium carbonate

Bauxite Magnesite

Physical & Chemical Characteristics of Minerals

Physical Properties - Hardness and mineral colour

1. Colour

▪ Hematite - Reddish-black

▪ Malachite - Green

▪ Calcite / Limestone - White

▪ Galena - Gray

▪ Cassiterite - Black

2. Hardness

▪ Sclerometer (a tool to measure mineral hardness)

▪ The Mohs Scale determines mineral hardness

▪ Calcite (scale 3), Diamond (Scale 10- hardest)

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Chemical properties - Solubility in water, mineral heating effect, reaction with acids & alkali.

1. Soluble in water

▪ Minerals containing sodium & potassium only dissolve in water

2. The effect of heating

▪ Reactive minerals that contain metal oxides does not decompose when heated. Metal oxide
less reactive than carbon will decompose to produce pure metal carbon dioxide when heated
with carbon.

Zinc oxide + Carbon → Zinc + Carbon dioxide

▪ Minerals containing carbonate and sulphide metals decomposed when heated.

Calcium carbonate → Calcium oxide + Carbon dioxide

Zinc sulphide → Zinc oxide + Sulphur dioxide

3. Metals reacts with acid

▪ Minerals containing metal oxides and carbonates dissolve in acid to produce salt.

Zinc oxide + Hydrochloric acid → Zinc chloride + water

Calcium carbonate + Hydrochloric acid → Calcium chloride + Carbon dioxide + Water

Uses of Minerals

1. Calcium oxide and Calcium carbonate - neutralize acidic soils.

2. Calcium carbonate - used in gas furnaces to remove impurities during iron extraction.

3. Silicon dioxide (Sand) - make glass.

4. Aluminium oxide - a substance in sunscreen, lipstick & nail polish.

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4.2 REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS

Reactivity Series of Metals Based on Reactions with Oxygen

▪ Metal heated with oxygen will produce metal oxide.

▪ Different metals have different levels of reaction with oxygen.

Iron + Oxygen → Iron oxide

Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium oxide

Copper + Oxygen → Copper oxide

▪ In a vigorous reaction between a more reactive metal such as magnesium and oxygen, a bright
flame is observed.

▪ In a less vigorous reaction between a less reactive metal such as iron and oxygen, only a glow or
slow change in colour is observed.

Reactivity Series of Metals Based on Reactions with other metals

▪ The position of a metal in the reactivity series of metals depends on the reactivity of the metal
when reacting with oxygen.

▪ More reactive metals will remove oxygen from less reactive metal oxide when both metals
react.

▪ Zinc is more reactive than copper. When the mixture of zinc and copper oxide is heated, zinc will
remove oxygen from the copper oxide, while zinc will become zinc oxide

Zinc + Copper oxide → Zinc oxide + Copper

▪ Magnesium is more reactive than zinc. When the mixture of zinc and magnesium oxide is
heated, there is no reaction occurs.

Zinc + Magnesium oxide → No reaction occurs

Position of Carbon & Hydrogen in the Reactivity Series of Metals

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▪ Metals which are less reactive than carbon in the reactivity series of metals
can be extracted from their ores through the reduction of the oxide of these
metals by carbon.

Zinc oxide + Carbon --> Zinc + Carbon dioxide

Lead (II) oxide + Carbon --> Lead + Carbon dioxide

▪ The metal that more reactive than carbon (metal reactivity series) cannot be
extracted from their ores.

Aluminium oxide + Carbon --> no change

▪ Application of the position of carbon in the reactivity series of metals for

industrial use is metal extraction.

▪ Metals which are less reactive than hydrogen in the reactivity series of metals
can be extracted from their ores through the reduction of the oxide of these
metals by hydrogen.

Iron (III) oxide + Hydrogen → Iron + Water

Lead (II) oxide + Hydrogen --> Lead + Water

▪ The metal that more reactive than hydrogen (metal reactivity series) cannot
be extracted from their ores.

Aluminium oxide + Hydrogen --> no change

▪ Hydrogen cannot reduce aluminium oxide

4.3 EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM THEIR ORES

▪ Extraction of metals is the process to obtain metals from their ores.

▪ For metals higher than carbon in the reactivity series of metals, the extraction of the metal from
its metallic compound is through electrolysis.

Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium and Aluminium

▪ For metals lower than carbon in the reactivity series of metals, the extraction of the metal from
its ore is through the reduction of its oxide with carbon.

Zinc, Iron, Tin and Lead

▪ Extraction of the copper and mercury metals is done through direct heating of the metallic
compounds.
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Process of Iron Extraction

▪ The extraction of iron from its ore is carried out in a blast furnace.

o A mixture of concentrated iron ore or iron oxide, coke and limestone are added into a blast
furnace through the top

o Hot blast of air is pumped into the furnace through the bottom.

o Reactions that occur in the furnace at high temperature.

▪ Production of iron

Iron (III) oxide + Carbon→Iron + Carbon dioxide

Iron (III) oxide + Carbon monoxide → Iron + Carbon dioxide

Iron (II) oxide + Carbon → Iron + carbon dioxide

Iron (II) oxide + Carbon monoxide → Iron + Carbon dioxide

▪ Production of slag

Calcium carbonate → Calcium oxide + Carbon dioxide

Calcium oxide + Silicon dioxide → Calcium silicate

Mining issues in Malaysia

▪ Air pollution due to burning of fuels

▪ Water pollution due to cleaning of ore

▪ Soil erosion due to mining of ore

▪ Sound pollution from mining machinery

▪ Destruction of habitat due to construction of mines

▪ Usage of large amount of electrical energy

▪ Air pollution by gases released from blast furnaces