Notes

Extraction of Zinc from Zinc Blende

 Describe in outline, the extraction of zinc from zinc blende.
Raw materials:The raw materials for extracting zinc are the zinc ore called zinc blende,
coke(carbon) and air. The Zinc blende contains zins sulfide, ZnS.

Concentration:

Zinc blende is concentrated by froth floatation process. The ore is kept in a large tank
containing water. Ore forms froth and comes to the surface while impurities are left in
water.

Roasting:

The concentrated ore is heated in excess supply of air at high temperature. During
roasting, Zinc sulfide is converted to zinc oxide.

2ZnS + 3O2 → 2ZnO + 2SO2

Reduction (Smelting):

ZnO obtained during roasting is mixed with coke and heated strongly where ZnO is
reduced to zinc by carbon.

ZnO + C → Zn + CO

Purification:

The molten zinc obtained contains Pb, As, Cd as impurities. It can be purified by
following methods.

By fractional distillation

By electrolysis

Uses of Zinc:

make alloys like brass by mixing it with Copper.

In batteries

Galvanising: The process of coating a metal such as iron with zinc to prevent corrosion
or rusting.
This process protects the iron in two ways:

It prevents oxygen and air coming into contact with the iron.

It protects by sacrificial protection.

Sacrificial protection:

When a more reactive metal is placed in contact with the less reactive metal, the more
reactive metal corrodes first, preventing the corrosion of less reactive metal.

For example:

If some galvanised iron is scratched, some of the iron surface is exposed and, in the
presence of water, an electrochemical cell is set up.

Zinc is more reactive than iron, so it loses electrons more readily than iron:

Zn → Zn +2 + 2e-

The zinc corrodes rather than iron. We say that it is a sacrificial metal. The iron remains
protected.

Note that sacrificial metal does not have t cover the surface of the iron completely for
the methods to work. Bars of magnesium and zinc can be attached to ships’ hulls or oil
pipelines to protect them from rusting.

 Name the uses of copper related to its properties (electrical

wiring and in cooking utensils)
 Copper is used for electrical wiring because it is an excellent electrical conductor.
 Copper is used in cooking utensils because it is malleable and a good conductor
of heat.
 It is also used in roofs because of its hard wearing against weather.

Recycling of Metals
 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of recycling metals,
limited to iron/steel and aluminium.
Recycling: “The processing of used materials into new products.”
Advantages of Recycling Metals:
o Raw materials such as haematite and bauxite re conserved.
o No energy used in the transport of ores and processing of ores.
o Energy use is reduced in the manufacture of aluminium. Less fossil fuel is
burnt to produce the high electric current required.
 o Raw material usage, such as coal for coke in the extraction of iron, is
reduced.
o Reduces pollution. Less carbon dioxide is emitted from both aluminium
smelting works and the blast furnace for the production of iron.
o Less pollution due to fewer lorries and ships carrying raw materials.
Disadvantages of Recycling:
o More traffic on local roads to recycling centres, so local pollution.
o Time consuming to sort the materials, e.g. aluminium from car bodies.
o Energy consumed to collect material for recycling.