EXTRACTING METALS FROM THEIR ORES

2 CONTENTS What Are Ores ? Metal Ores How To Extract Metals From
Ores ?
Reduction Of Metal OresEffects On Environment

3 WHAT ARE ORES ?An ore is any naturally-occurring source of a metal that
you can economically extract the metal from.Aluminium, for example, is the
most common metal in the Earth's crust, occurring in all sorts of minerals.An
Ore

4 METAL ORES Metals are usually found in ores containing mineral.

They are combined with Oxygen or Sulphur to form Oxides or
Sulphides.Sulphide Ores are converted to Oxides by heating them in air
(called roasting)Eg : Zinc Sulphide to Zinc OxideZinc SulphideOxygenZinc
OxideSulphur DioxideZnO (s)SO2 (g)ZnS (s)1 ½ O2 (g)

5 HOW TO EXTRACT METALS FROM ORES ?

To obtain a metal , it’s ore , a reducing agent is used to remove the Oxygen ,
in a reduction reaction .Examples of some reducing agents :Made from
Methane and WaterAn impure form of carbon

6 REDUCTION OF METAL ORES

Iron , Manganese And CopperCarbon and Carbon monoxide are the reducing
agents in the extraction of Fe , Mn & CuThese are cheap because coke can be
used which is cheaply produced by heating coal in absence of airExtraction of
Iron is done in a blast furnace which reaches temperatures of 2000K

7 Fe2O3(s)Haematite3CO (g)Carbon Monoxide2Fe(I)Iron3 CO2Carbon Dioxide

8 Manganese is produced by the reduction of its Oxide with Carbon.

Copper used to be produced this way but nowadays some ores are converted
into solutions containing Cu2+ ions.The copper is extracted by reducing with
scrap iron2MnO(s)C(s)2MnI(s)CO2(g)

9 This is “greener” as no CO2 is produced and scrap iron is cheap and readily
available
Also , solution can be made from low grade ore so it is readily available

10 Extracting Of Other Metals

Some metals can’t be extracted using carbon reduction such as Aluminium ,
Titanium , and Tungsten.Aluminium cannot be extracted because it is more
reactive than carbon.Titanium and Tungsten also can’t be extracted using
carbon because they will form a metal carbide which would make the metal
brittle.

11 Extraction Of Aluminium
Aluminium is extracted from purified bauxite ore (mainly Al2O3)Al2O3 is
dissolved in molten cryolite , which forms a solution which melts at around
1240K (Al2O3 melts at 2435K)Therefore less energy is required
12 Aluminium is produced at the negative electrode
Oxygen is produced at the positive electrodeThis gives us an
equation :Al2O3(I)2Al(I)1 ½ O(g)

13 Extraction Of Titanium
As Titanium can’t be reduced by Carbon it is reduced by Sodium or
Magnesium.It is an expensive process as Titanium Oxide is first converted to
Titanium Chloride by reacting it with coke and Chlorine at 1173K

14 Titanium Chloride is then reduced by Sodium or Magnesium into Titanium

under an inert argon atmosphere at 1300K

15 Extraction Of Tungsten
Tungsten is extracted from it’s Oxide , WO3 by reduction with H2 at high
temp.However , there is some risk as H2 is a flammable gas , so using it as a
reducing agent is a last resort

16 EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENT
Recycling scrap metals has many environmental and economic advantage.It
reduces the amount of scrap metal in landfill and it has already been
extracted from its ore so energy is not required again.

17 THANK YOU
 Properties of metals

3 Chemical properties Form oxides when they react with oxygen Metal
oxides are bases Form positive ions Transition metals have a variable
valency, for example iron can form ions of Fe 2+ or Fe 3+

4 Reactivity Reactions are caused by electrons moving from one atom to

another How much energy is needed to gain or lose and electron is what
changes the reactivity between elements If it loses electrons very easily, it is
more reactive than some which loses electrons less easily. The same applies
to gaining electrons

5 Experiment time Look at the reactivity of zinc, copper, magnesium and iron
in dilute hydrochloric acid Why do they react? What changes how vigorous the
reaction is?

6 The Reactivity Series Some metals are more reactive than others As each
metal has different reactivity, it's important to know which ones are more
reactive than others to determine their uses Normally, it's the unreactive
metals we use more But then what about aluminium????

8 Reactivity series The reactivity series acts as a ‘league table’ showing

which metals are more reactive and therefore will displace another in a
reaction.

9 Displacement Sulfate Copper During a displacement reaction the metal in

a compound is replaced with a more reactive metal to form a new compound.
Zinc

10 Model 1 Like people compounds find some partners more attractive than
others, and will ‘ditch’ one metal for another.

11 Model 2 In this model the non-metal part of the compound is like a

footballer leaving his club for one higher up the league. CHELSEA LIVERPOOL
COPPER ZINC SULFATE
12 Experiment The displacement reaction of magnesium and copper sulfate
can be written as word and symbol equations. Magnesium + Copper Sulfate 
Magnesium Sulfate + Copper Mg + CuSO 4  MgSO 4 + Cu

13 FeCl 3 +Mg CuSO 4 +Fe AgNO 3 + Cu Initial colours Metal: Metal: Metal:
Solution: Solution: Solution: Final colours Metal: Metal: Metal: Solution:
Solution: Solution: Pour FeSO 4, CuSO 4 and AgNO 3 solutions in three test
tubes (about 4 ml). Insert a cut of Mg ribbon to FeCl 3, piece of iron in CuSO 4
and a cut of copper wire to AgNO 3 solutions. Record the observation, write
and balance equations and conclude what the differences in reactivities are.

14 Experiment MetalObservations with salt solutionDisplacement reaction

(Yes/No) Magnesium Iron Copper

15 1. Zinc oxide + calcium  2. Magnesium + iron oxide  3. Zinc + tin oxide 

4. Magnesium sulphate + Zinc  5. Calcium + copper oxide  6. Magnesium +
iron sulphate  7. Tin oxide + Copper  8. Gold + copper oxide  REACTION NO
REACTION REACTION NO REACTION

16 Metals in competition: Carbon Carbon is included because it can reduce

oxides of metals below it on the series Eg. Magnesium oxide heated with
carbon doesn’t change, but lead oxide heated with carbon becomes carbon
dioxide and lead metal

17 Carbon Carbon is more reactive than some metals. It will reduce their
oxides to form the metal It is the reducing agent

18 Metals and metal oxide Metals do the same to oxides of less reactive
metals They reduce metals lower on the series

19 REDOX!!!!! Reduction is GAINING electrons It can also be thought of as

losing oxygen

20 Copper oxide and iron

21 Thermal decomposition Some compounds break down easily when you

heat them Reactive metals make very stable compounds so these don’t
breakdown so easily

22 Using the series Thermite process (http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=5uxsFglz2ig)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uxsFglz2ig Simple cells
Sacrificial protection Galvanising

24 Starter LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores Metals and
their uses

25 Extracting metals Metals play a very important role in our society.

Building, planes, trains, cars, electronics, furniture and miles of miles of
wiring are all made out of metals. It is essential, therefore, that we are able to
get a continuous supply of them. LO: understand how to extract metals from
their ores
26 Ores Gold, silver and platinum are the only metals that can be found in
the ground in their native state. All other metals are found combined with
other chemical elements, commonly oxygen. The metals have to extracted
from these compounds before they can be used LO: understand how to
extract metals from their ores

27 Extracting metals So you have your ore. Now what? How do you go about
getting the nice, pure metal that is locked inside it? To extract the metal, you
must use an element that is higher up the reactivity series. This will kick out
the metal that YOU WANT, leaving you free to sell it on or use it. (Reduction of
the metal!) LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores

28 For some, this means electrolysis Extracting metals

29 Extracting Iron Iron is an EXTREMELY important metal. It was a vital part

of the industrial revolution that happened in Britain in the 1700s and 1800s,
which allowed Britain to become the dominant superpower at the time. It is
still widely used today to make buildings and bridges. What elements could
we use to extract iron from its ore? LO: understand how to extract metals
from their ores

30 Extracting Iron LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores

31 Extracting Iron

32 TASK Assemble the information around the room into the correct order.
Make sure you write down any word equations that you see and leave space
to write down the symbol equations. LO: understand how to extract metals
from their ores

33 Extracting Iron Iron is usually found in an ore called Haematite. This is

mainly Iron Oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) and Silicon Dioxide (SiO 3 ). Silicon dioxide is
better known as sand! LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores

34 Extracting Iron To extract iron from its ore, we use carbon. The carbon is
in the form of a substance called coke, which is made from coal. It is almost
pure carbon. LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores

35 Extracting Iron Limestone is also used when extracting iron to get rid of
impurities from the iron ore. LO: understand how to extract metals from their
ores

36 The Blast Furnace Iron ore (Haematite), Coke and Limestone are put into
the top of the blast furnace. (Charge) Hot air blasted in at the bottom. LO:
understand how to extract metals from their ores

37 The Blast Furnace The hot air causes the coke to oxidise and form
carbon dioxide Carbon + oxygen  Carbon dioxide This is exothermic which
helps to heat the furnace LO: understand how to extract metals from their
ores
38 The Blast Furnace The carbon dioxide reacts with more carbon to form
Carbon monoxide. The carbon dioxide is reduced This stage is endothermic
LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores Carbon dioxide +Carbon
 monoxide

39 Carbon monoxide reduces the iron oxide to iron and carbon dioxide The
Blast Furnace

40 Removing impurities The limestone is heated up in the blast furnace and

decomposes into calcium oxide. The calcium oxide is needed to remove the
sand from the ore LO: understand how to extract metals from their ores
Calcium Carbonate  Calcium Oxide Carbon dioxide +

41 Removing impurities The calcium oxide reacts with the silicon dioxide
impurities to make calcium silicate. LO: understand how to extract metals
from their ores  Calcium Oxide Silicon Dioxide + Calcium Silicate Calcium
silicate is better known as slag and is used to surface roads.

42 The Blast Furnace The ‘slag’ and the molten iron collect at the bottom,
which can then be tapped off. LO: understand how to extract metals from
their ores

43 Write out any equations you find! Round the class in pairs to put the
process in the correct order

44 Task: Match the sentences LO: understand how to extract metals from
their ores

45 Aluminium LO: understand the extraction of copper Aluminium is a very

useful metal. It is light, easily shaped and does not react easily. However, it is
above carbon in the reactivity series? Can aluminium be extracted using
carbon?

46 Aluminium LO: understand the extraction of copper As aluminium is

ABOVE carbon in the reactivity series, it can’t be extracted using carbon as
iron is. Another process called electrolysis must be used. In electrolysis,
electricity is passed through molten aluminium oxide and it separates into
aluminium and oxygen. Why do you think this is more expensive than using
carbon?

47 Aluminium's main ore is bauxite Aluminium

48 Step 1 – testing to see if there is enough aluminium for the extraction to

be worthwhile Step 2 – After the ore is mined, the impurities are removed,
leaving aluminium oxide Step 3 – The alumina is then sent away for
electrolysis Step 4 – The metal is made into sheets and blocks Aluminium

50 Aluminium is released at the cathode. Aluminium ions are reduced by

gaining 3 electrons. Al 3+ (l)+ 3e - Al (l) (reduction) Aluminium

51 Oxygen is produced initially at the anode. 2O 2- (l) 3O 2 (g) + 4e -

(oxidation) Aluminium
52 Overall: 2Al 2 O 3 (l) 4Al (l) + 3O 2

53 As the oxygen gas bubbles of, it reacts with the carbon from the anode to
release carbon dioxide This means the anode has to be changed regularly as
it gets eaten away C (s) + O 2(g) CO 2(g) Aluminium

54 Zinc blende is mostly zinc sulfide and must be roasted in air to form ZnO
and sulfur dioxide Then the oxide can be reduced in one of two ways 1. Using
carbon monoxide 2. Using electrolysis Zinc Extraction

55 Carbon monoxide – after the reaction carbon dioxide is given off leaving
zinc with some impurities. These are seperated using fractional distillation
Using electrolysis – It’s dissolved in sulphuric acid (metal oxide + acid),
leaving a salt that can be separated by electrolysis Zinc Extraction

56 Remembering the series

57 Task LO: understand the extraction of copper Re-using and recycling

aluminium

58 Using metals The properties of the metal dictate it’s uses Eg.