Extraction and

Uses of Metals
Chapter 11
 Learning Objectives
• List the 3 main steps in the extraction of metal from its
ore.
• Describe the ease of metal extraction according to its
reactivity.
• Describe the extraction of iron from haematite ore in a
blast furnace.
• Relate the uses of metals to their properties.
• Describe metal ores as a finite resource and thus the
need to recycle metals.
• Discuss social, economic and environmental issues in
recycling metals.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 2

 Where do metals come
from?
• The Earth’s crust consists of rocks.
• Rocks are made up of mixtures of several minerals.
• Some of these minerals are metals.
• Minerals are not always found as elements. They
can be found as compounds.
– E.g.: aluminium is often found as aluminium oxide

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 3

 Where do metals come
from?
• Some rocks contain enough metal mineral. These
are called metal ores.
– Bauxite contains a large amount of aluminium oxide.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 4

 How is metal extracted
from its ore?
• There are 3 steps to extracting metals:

metal ore concentrated mineral metal

silver ore concentrated silver silver

mineral
Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 5
 Is metal extraction
easy?
Depends!
• Ease of metal extraction depends on its
reactivity.
• Different methods are used to extract metals of
different reactivity.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 6

 Recall: The Reactivity
Series

difficult to
3 extract

quite easy
2 to extract

easiest to
1 extract

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 7

 1. Extracting
unreactive metals
• Unreactive metals are found as elements in the
ground.
• They are obtained by physical methods.

Extracting Gold
• Found embedded in rocks deep underground.
• Rocks are collected and crushed to free the gold
pieces in them.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 8

 2. Extracting less
reactive metals
• Less reactive metals are found in ores containing
metal sulphides or metal oxides.
– Zinc is found in the ore zinc blende. Contains zinc
sulphide (ZnS)

– Iron is found in the ore haematite. Contains iron (III)

oxide (Fe2O3)

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 9

 2. Extracting less
reactive metals
To extract sulphides:
• Heat in air. Metal sulphide is changed into metal
oxide.
• Heat the oxide with coke (a form of carbon). The
carbon removes the oxygen from the oxide,
leaving the metal.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 10

 2. Extracting less
reactive metals
E.g.: Extracting Zinc Blende
2. Heat zinc sulphide in air

zinc sulphide + oxygen → zinc oxide + sulphur dioxide

2ZnS + 3O2 → 2ZnO + 2SO2

6. Heat zinc oxide with carbon

zinc oxide + carbon → zinc + carbon monoxide
ZnO + C → Zn + CO

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 11

 3. Extracting very
reactive metals
• Very reactive metals have very strong bonds in
their compounds.
• They can be extracted using carbon, but only at
extremely high temperatures. This is very
expensive.
• Most reactive metals are extracted by decomposing
their compounds using electrolysis.
• Examples of such metals: potassium, sodium,
magnesium, aluminium

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 12

 3. Extracting very
reactive metals
Extraction of Sodium
• Sodium is commonly found as sodium chloride.
• To extract sodium metal, an electric current is
passed through molten sodium chloride.
• It will then decompose to its elements.

2NaCl(l) → 2Na(l) + Cl2(g)

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 13

 Extracting Iron…
• Iron is the most widely used of all metals.
• It is mined from the ground as iron ores.
• Haematite is an iron ore containing iron (III) oxide
(Fe2O3).
• Iron is extracted from the oxide in a blast furnace.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 14

 Extracting Iron…
• From the top:
– iron ore, limestone
(calcium carbonate),
coke
• From the bottom:
– hot air
• Inside the furnace:
temperature reaches
over 1600°C

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 15

 Extracting Iron… 5
steps!
1. carbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide + heat
C(s) + O2(g) → CO2(g)

2. carbon dioxide + carbon → carbon monoxide

CO2(g) + C(s) → 2CO(g)

3. iron (III) oxide + carbon monoxide → iron + carbon dioxide

Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)

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

Fe2O3(s) + 3C(s) → 2Fe(s) + 3CO(g)

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 16

 Extracting Iron… 5
steps!
1. calcium carbonate → calcium oxide + carbon dioxide
CaCO3(s) → CaO(s) + CO2(g)

2. silicon dioxide + calcium oxide → calcium silicate (slag)

SiO2(s) + CaO(s) → CaSiO3(I)

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 17

 Extracting Iron…
• Dense molten iron
sinks to the bottom of
the furnace.
• Slag forms a layer
above the molten iron.
• Slag is used to in
making roads.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 18

 Uses of Metals
• Choice of metals are based on 3 factors:
– physical properties
– chemical properties
– cost

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 19

 Uses of Metals
metal uses reasons for choice
aluminium • drink cans • low density, non-toxic
• window frames • resists corrosion
copper • electrical wires • good electrical conductor
• water pipes • strong, malleable, ductile
gold • jewellery • shiny, attractive
• protective clothing • very malleable
titanium • supersonic aircraft • light but strong, resist
and spacecraft corrosion

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 20

 Recycling Metals
• Only a limited amount of metal can be mined from
Earth. To save metals, they can be recycled.
• Metals are collected and melted to produce blocks
of metal.
• The metal can be used to make new objects.

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 21

 Recycling Metals
Benefits:
• Conserves metals (especially valuable metals)
• Saves the cost of extracting new metals
• Benefits the environment

Problems:
• can be more expensive
• can damage the environment
• cost of separating metal from waste is high
• collection of metals is troublesome

Chp 11: Extraction and Uses of Metals 22