Extraction and uses of metals
Modern methods
Activity 1 : Phytomining and Bioleaching
Watch the video carefully, stopping where necessary to answer the questions below:
- Explain the main difference between high grade ore and low grade ore.
- What is happening to the supply of high grade copper ore?
- Explain what is meant by bioleaching
- What is the main advantage of using this method for metal extraction?
- What is phytomining?
- How do we release the metal which is extracted by phytomining
- What is the main disadvantage of using phytomining for metal extraction?
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The Blast furnace
The blast furnace is the "original method" used for the extraction of iron from iron ore. It relies on the relative reactivity of carbon ( in coal) which reduces the iron oxide ( in iron ore) to metallic iron.
Limestone is added to react with the impurities in the ore . This decomposes and produces carbon dioxide gas.
The production of iron is not carbon neutral. Use chemical equations to explain why.
The thermit reaction is used to produce a plug of red hot iron which can be poured directly to join together two sections of rail on a railway track.
In the main reaction Iron III oxide and Aluminium react with one another. Pure iron is produced.
- Magnesium ribbon is used as the fuse.
- Write an equation for the reaction of magnesium with the oxygen in the air
- Try to write a word equation for this reaction. What is reduced in this reaction?
- What is oxidised?
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