CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY- APCH 221

Tutorial #4 – 2024
The Mining Industry – Extractive Metallurgy

1. Define what mineral ores are?

2. What does the process of ore dressing in metallurgy involve?
3. Identify 4 methods which are generally employed in the extraction of various metals
and briefly describe what happens in each case.

EXTRACTION OF GOLD (AU)

4. Describe the process of froth flotation used in the mining of gold and explain the
advantage of such a process.

5. Give the formula of the complex formed during the cyanidation process of gold
extraction.

6. What is the importance of forming this complex in (2) above?

7. Explain what must be done if a high concentration of Cu ions are found in the mixture
during the cyanide process of gold extraction?

8. Explain the importance of adding Pb(NO3)2 before the cyanidation process?

EXTRACTION OF IRON

9. What is the difference between steel and hard steel?

10. Give the formula of the two types of ores that are used in the extraction of iron (Fe)?

11. Explain why the impact of not removing impurities from the mineral ores used in the
extraction of Fe.

12. What compound is used as fuel and how is it formed in the blast furnace during the
extraction of Fe?

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13. Consider the following diagram showing the blast furnace used in the extraction of
iron.

Explain in detail what occurs in the blast furnace. Indicate raw materials used,
reactions that occur, different temperature zones which appear due to fuel reactions
and products and side products produced.

EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY OF ALUMINIUM

14. Give the formula of bauxite and explainits role in the extraction of Al metal?
15. Describe the three (3) stages applied to the extraction of Al metal.
16. How are the residual impurities of bauxite are removed?
17. How is pure Al obtained?
18. Explain why crolite must be used in the production of pure aluminium?

EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY OF COPPER

19. Identify the ores from which copper metal is extracted.

20. Why do industries apply several steps in the extraction of copper metal?

21. Give the 6 stages involved in the extraction of copper metal indicating the
improvement in percentage copper metal content at each subsequent stage.

22. During the roasting stage two (2) volatiles are released. Identify them and give the
reactions which occur in the roaster which is responsible for converting them to
volatile compounds.

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23. Explain what is blister copper production and how the percentage of copper is
improved.

24. The operation for blister copper production is carried out in two stages, each of
which has a distinctive flame colour.

24.1 In the first stage, air is blown through the matte until all the slag is formed, i.e. the
total elimination of the FeS. Give a balanced equation for the reaction for this
process.
24.2 Then, silica is used to react with the oxide. Give a balanced equation for this process.

25. Explain how pure copper (99.9 %) is finally produced.

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