Extraction of metals Flashcards
What 2 states can metals be in?
- combined state
- uncombined state
What metals are in an uncombined state?
unreactive metals:
- gold
- platinum
- silver
What metals are in a combined state?
mineral ores containing:
- metal oxides
- metal sulfides
- metal carbonates
- metal chlorides
Where are most metals found?
- in the ground
What are metals first combined with?
non metals:
- oxygen
- sulfur
- carbon
What are metal + non-metal compounds called?
- ores
What are the 3 main stages involved in obtaining metals from their ores?
- concentrating the metal ore
- extracting crude metal from ore
- refining crude metal
What happens in stage 1 (concentrating the metal ore)?
- earth and rock are removed before the metal is extracted from the ore
- this causes the metal ore to contain little waste materials
What happens in stage 2 (extracting crude metal from the ore)?
- the metal is extracted by reduction with carbon or using electricity
- dependant on the position of the metal on the reactivity series
What happens in stage 3 (refining crude metal)?
- other methods such as electrolysis have to be used to further refine metal to obtain pure metal
- this is due to the metal that is extracted from the ore potentially still containing impurities
What are the 2 methods of extraction for metals in their combined states?
- reduction with carbon
- electrolysis
What is the process of reduction with carbon?
- heating the metal compound with carbon
What is the process of electrolysis?
- using electricity to decompose the molten metal compound
What is the relationship between how easy it is to extract a metal from its ore and the position of the metal on the reactivity series?
- the higher up a metal is on the reactivity series, the more difficult it is to extract from its ore
Why is a metal higher up on the reactivity series more difficult to extract from its ore?
- the stability of an ore of a metal higher up the reactivity series is greater than one lower down
Which redox reaction happens when a metal is extracted from its ore?
- reduction
Why does reduction occur when a metal is extracted from its ore?
- the metal ion (in the ore) has to gain electrons to form a metal atom
what metals require electrolysis to extract the metal from its ore?
- metals high up in the reactivity series
- (K - Al)
What metals can be extracted from its ore using reduction with carbon?
- middle order metals
- (Zn - Pb)
What metals can be extracted from its ore by simply heating it?
- metals at the bottom of the reactivity series
- (Cu-Ag)
What is an ore of iron?
- haematite
Where is iron extracted from its ore?
- in the blast furnace
What are the raw materials present at the top of the blast furnace?
- haematite (Fe2O3)
- coke (C)
- limestone (CaCO3)
What is the blast furnace lined with?
- refractory materials
- e.g. aluminium oxide, magnesium oxide
Why is the blast furnace lined with refractory materials?
- high melting point
- traps heat
What are the reactions that occur in the blast furnace?
- production of carbon dioxide
C(s) + O2(g) —> CO2(g) - production of carbon monoxide
CO2(g) +C(s) —> 2CO(g) - reduction of iron ore
Fe2O3(s) +3CO(g) —> 2Fe(l) + 3O2
how is carbon dioxide produced in the blast furnace?
- coke burns in hot air
- carbon dioxide is produced
What kind of reaction is the production of carbon dioxide (exothermic/endothermic)?
- highly exothermic
- temperature in this part of the furnace rises to 1900 degrees celcius