Extraction of Metals
Metals are very useful. Ores are naturally occurring rocks that contain metal or metal
compounds in sufficient amounts to make it worthwhile extracting them. For example, iron
ore is used to make iron and steel. Copper is easily extracted, but ores rich in copper are
becoming more difficult to find. Aluminium and titanium are metals with useful properties,
but they are expensive to extract. Most everyday metals are mixtures called alloys.
Methods of extracting metals
The Earth's crust contains metals and metal compounds such as gold, iron oxide and aluminium
oxide, but when found in the Earth these are often mixed with other substances. To be useful, the
metals have to be extracted from whatever they are mixed with. A metal ore is a rock containing a
metal, or a metal compound, in a high enough concentration to make it economic to extract the metal.
The method used to extract metals from the ore in which they are found depends on their reactivity.
For example, reactive metals such as aluminium are extracted by electrolysis, while a less-reactive
metal such as iron may be extracted by reduction with carbon or carbon monoxide.
Thus the method of extraction of a metal from its ore depends on the metal's position in the reactivity
series:
Reactivity and extraction method
Metals - in decreasing order of Reactivity
reactivity
potassium extract by electrolysis
sodium
calcium
magnesium
aluminium
carbon
zinc extract by reaction with carbon or carbon
monoxide
iron
tin
lead
hydrogen
copper extracted by various chemical reactions
silver
gold
platinum
Note that gold, because it is so unreactive, is found as the native metal and not as a compound, so it
does not need to be chemically separated. However, chemical reactions may be needed to remove
other elements that might contaminate the metal.
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Aluminium and titanium
Block of aluminium metal - image does not show the transparent oxide layer
Aluminium and titanium are two metals with a low density. This means that they are lightweight for
their size. They also have a very thin layer of their oxides on the surface, which stops air and water
getting to the metal, so aluminium and titanium resist corrosion. These properties make the two
metals very useful.
Aluminium is used for aircraft, trains, overhead power cables, saucepans and cooking foil. Titanium is
used for fighter aircraft, artificial hip joints and pipes in nuclear power stations.
Extraction
Unlike iron, aluminium and titanium cannot be extracted from their oxides by reduction with carbon:
Aluminium is more reactive than carbon, so the reaction does not work.
Titanium forms titanium carbide with carbon, which makes the metal brittle.
Aluminium extraction is expensive because the process needs a lot of electrical energy.
Aluminium is extracted from bauxite (Al 2O3) by electrolysis. However, bauxite has a very high melting
point but can be dissolved in molten cryolite at 900 degrees Celsius. In other words, the cryolite is
used to lower the melting point of bauxite.
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Cathode reaction:
-
4 Al3+ + 12 e 4 Al
Anode reaction:
6 O2- 3O2 + 12 e-
Carbon dioxide is also produced from this reaction. It is produced from the carbon
electrodes burning in the heat and oxygen produced.
Recycling
Aluminium is extensively recycled because less energy is needed to produce recycled aluminium
than to extract aluminium from its ore. Recycling preserves limited resources and requires less energy,
so it causes less damage to the environment.
Uses of metals:
A summary of the properties of some different steels
type of steel iron alloyed with properties typical use
low carbon steel about 0.25 per cent carbon easily shaped car body panels
high carbon steel up to 2.5 per cent carbon hard cutting tools
stainless steel chromium and nickel resistant to corrosion cutlery and sinks
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Alloys
The properties of a metal are changed by including other elements, such as carbon. A mixture of two
or more elements, where at least one element is a metal, is called an alloy. Alloys contain atoms of
different sizes, which distort the regular arrangements of atoms. This makes it more difficult for the
layers to slide over each other, so alloys are harder than the pure metal.
It is more difficult for layers of atoms to slide over each other in alloys
Copper, gold and aluminium are too soft for many uses. They are mixed with other metals to make
them harder for everyday use. For example:
Brass, used in electrical fittings, is 70 per cent copper and 30 per cent zinc.
18 carat gold, used in jewellery, is 75 per cent gold and 25 per cent copper and other metals.
Duralumin, used in aircraft manufacture, is 96 per cent aluminium and 4 per cent copper and
other metals.
Smart alloys can return to their original shape after being bent. They are useful for spectacle frames
and dental braces.
Aluminium is also used in making drink and food cans
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