Extraction of Metals | Chemistry for Grade 11 (IGCSE) PDF Download

Extraction of Metals

• The Earth's crust is rich in metals and metal compounds like gold, copper, iron oxide, and aluminium oxide.
• Metals of value are commonly found in chemical compounds, known as ores.
• An ore is a solid material containing a sufficient amount of metal to make its extraction economically viable.
• The extraction of metals from their ores involves various methods such as electrolysis, using a blast furnace, or reacting with more reactive substances.
• In the case of metal oxide ores, the extraction process is a reduction reaction where oxygen is removed.
• Examples of oxide ores include hematite (iron ore) and bauxite (aluminium ore).
• Some metals, like gold and platinum, exist in nature as uncombined elements due to their low reactivity.
• These unreactive metals, known as native metals, can be directly mined from the Earth's crust.
• The extraction method for a metal depends on its position in the reactivity series.
• Metals higher in the reactivity series require processes like electrolysis for extraction, while those lower down can be extracted by heating with carbon.

The Extraction Method Depends on the Position of a Metal in the Reactivity Series