Grade 10 – Chemistry

Metallurgy
• Occurrence of Metals:

• In nature, metals are found both in free as well as in

combined state

• The earth crust is the biggest source of metals.

• Metals which are less reactive and do not react under

normal condition with oxygen, water, CO2 and other
common reagents, occurs in native form.

• Some metals like Au, Pt, Hg, Cu etc., are found in

nature in free or elementary state (native form).

• Most of the metals are reactive so they occur in

combined state in the form of their oxides,
carbonates, halides, sulphides, sulphate etc.
The elements which have a tendency to lose electrons and
form positively charged ions(cations) are called metals.

Metals generally have 1, 2 or 3 electrons in their valence

shells. Generally, they form basic oxides.

The elements which have a tendency to accept electrons and

form negatively charged ions (anions) are called non-
metals.

Nonmetals generally have 4,5,6 or 7 valence electrons.

Nonmetals generally form acidic oxides.
Mineral and Ores:

Minerals are the naturally

occurring compounds of metals
which are generally mixed with
earthy impurities such as soil, mud,
sand or silica (SiO2), limestones,
rocks etc. These earthy impurities
are called gangue or matrix.

NOTE : All minerals are not ores , but all ores are minerals
Ores:
•A mineral from which a metal can be extracted easily
and profitably is called an ore.
•The various types of impurities present in the minerals
are collectively known as gangue or Matrix
•FLUX: A substance added to the ore to remove the
gangue in a fusible form is called FLUX
•SLAG: Flux combine with gangue to form a fusible
mass called slag
Eg : FeO + SiO2 -----→ FeSiO3
Gangue Flux Slag
Common ores of Aluminium, Zinc, and Iron
Metals Main Ores
Al Bauxite (Al2O3. 2H2O), hydrated aluminum oxide
Cryolite (Na3AlF6), sodium aluminium fluoride

Zn Zinc blende (ZnS), Zinc sulfide

Calamine (ZnCO3), zinc carbonate
Zincite (ZnO), Zinc oxide

Fe Haematite (Fe2O3), Iron (III)Oxide

Magnetite (Fe3O4) Tri iron tetroxide
Iron pyrites (FeS2) Iron di sulphide
Siderite (Spathic iron ore) (FeCO3) Iron carbonate
• Stages involved in the extraction of metals
• The process of extraction of metals in pure form from their ores is called metallurgy.
• It is carried out in the following steps:
Step1: Crushing and Grinding of the ore (PULVERISATION)
Ores are crushed into fine powder in big jaw crushers and ball mills. This process is called
pulverization.

Ball mill Jaw Crusher

Step 2: Concentration or dressing:
The process of removal of the gangue from Ore is known as Concentration or Dressing or
Benefaction. There are numerous methods of concentration and the methods are chosen based
on the properties of the ore.
a: Hydraulic Washing or Gravity separation:
Hydraulic washing is a technique used when the impurities are lighter and the ore particles are
heavier.(density difference) The lighter impurities are removed by washing in current of water on a
vibrating grooved sloping table ,where the heavier ore particle remain behind in the grooves. This
method is applied for oxide and carbonate ores.
b: Magnetic Separation:
This involves the separation of magnetic ore from non magnetic gangue or magnetic gangue from
non magnetic ore. The finely powdered ore is placed on a conveyor belt passing over a magnetic
roller. The magnetic ore are attracted to the magnetic wheel and falls separately apart from the
non-magnetic particles. This method is applied for magnetite, chromite ores
c: Froth Flotation Method:
Principle: The process depends on the
preferential wettability of the ore with oil (pine
oil) and the gangue particles by water.
This method is mainly used to remove gangue from
sulphide ores. The impurities get wetted by water
and remain behind in the tank.
The powdered ore is mixed with water and little pine oil. The mixture is vigorously stirred by passing
compressed air. The froth produced rises to the surface carrying the ore particles along with it.,
which can be removed easily. The gangue particles wetted by water become heavy and are left
behind.
Step 3: Conversion of concentrated ore to its oxide

• Concentrated ore is converted to its oxide because oxides are easier to

reduce into metals.

Two methods are used – (1) Roasting; (2) Calcination

Roasting

• It is a process of heating the concentrated ore to a high temperature in presence

of air.
• Sulphide ores are roasted. So, SO2 is released.

2ZnS + 3O2 800° - 900°C 2ZnO + 2SO2

• Volatile impurities are removed as oxides (SO2, P2O5, AS2O3)

• Roasting makes the ore porous and so ore gets heated uniformly.
Calcination:
The process of heating the concentrated ore in the in the absence of air, at a temperature not
sufficient to melt the ore is called calcination.
Carbonates and hydrated ores are calcinated and CO2 or water vapours are released.

ZnCO3 ZnO + CO2

CaCO3 CaO + CO2

• Moisture, water of hydration and other volatile impurities present in the ore gets removed
• Ore becomes porous and heating of ore is uniform.
4. Reduction of Metal oxide to metals
Following methods are used for reduction of metal oxides

(i) Reduction by reducing agent: Metals in the middle of the reactivity series like copper, zinc,
lead and iron can be reduced with reducing agents like carbon, aluminum, sodium, CO or H2
etc.

ZnO + C  Zn(s) + CO (g)

Fe2O3 + 2Al  2Fe + Al2O3

(ii) Reduction by Thermal decomposition: Oxide of metal which are lower in the reactivity series
are least stable and can be reduced by heat alone.

• 2HgO Hg +O2
(iii) Reduction by electrolysis: Reactive metals like K, Na, Ca, Mg and AI are obtained by electrolytic reduction
method.

• Eg – Aluminium is extracted by the electrolysis of molten aluminium oxide Al2O3

Al2O3 Electrolysis 2Al3+ + 3O2-

At cathode, 2Al3+ + 6e- 2 Al

At anode, 6O2- 3 O2 + 12 e -

• Electrolyte – Fused Potassium bromide

• KBr  K+ + Br –

• Cathode  K+ + e-  K

• Anode  Br-  Br + e-

• Br + Br  Br2 Polished Bauxite Ore

• Aluminium is also obtained from its oxide by electrolysis.

5. Refining of Metals:

Metals obtained by reduction contain small quantities of impurities. The process of removing
impurities from the metals extracted from their ores is called refining.

1. Electrolytic refining – Many metals like Cu, AI,

Zn, Ag and Au may be refined by electrolysis
where the impure metals is used as anode, pure
metal strip as Cathode and Metal salt solution as
Electrolyte. On passing electric current pure metal
deposits at the cathode and impurities settles
down as anode mud.
6. Extraction of Aluminium:

Aluminium is the most abundant metal in

the earth crust.

The most common ore of Aluminium is Bauxite

[Al2O3 .2H2O]

Bauxite contains 60% Al2O3 the rest being

impurities like silica, ferric oxide and titanium oxide.
Bayer’s process is used to obtain pure aluminium oxide from bauxite ore. In this method
of chemical purification the finely powdered ore is treated with hot sodium hydroxide solution
150 – 200°C
∆
Al2O3 . 2H2O + 2NaOH 2NaAIO2 + 3H2O
Impure Bauxite Conc. Solution Sodium aluminate
On diluting sodium meta aluminate with water and cooling to 50°C, it gets hydrolysed to give
aluminium hydroxide as a ppt.
50 – 60°C
NaAIO2 + 2H2O NaOH + AI (OH)3

The ppt is filtered, washed, dried and ignited at 1000°C to get alumina (Al2O3)
2Al(OH)3 ∆ Al2O3 + 3 H2O
1000°C

As bauxite has converted into alumina, which is in oxide form,

therefore there is no need of roasting or calcination.
We will follow electrolysis to reduce alumina into aluminium.
Reduction
By Hall-Heroult’s process: In this process, aluminium is recovered from fused alumina by
electrolytic reduction.
Electroreduction of alumina to aluminium
Aluminium can be obtained from alumina (purified
bauxite) by electrolytic reduction method. The set-up
involves the following:
• Electrolytic cell. A rectangular iron tank with
sloping bottom which is lined from inside with
carbon.
• Electrolyte. A molten mixture of alumina (Al2O3) (20%), cryolite (Na3AlF6) (60%) and fluorspar
(CaF2) (20%) is used as the electrolyte.
• Cryolite (Na3AlF6) is added to alumina to:
Lower the melting temperature of alumina,
it decreases the melting point of electrolyte
from 2050°C to 950°C
• Make the electrolyte a good conductor of electricity
• Fluorspar – It acts as a solvent for electrolytic mixture and increases its conductivity.
• Operating temperature. The electrolytic bath is maintained at about 950°C
• Voltage. About 5 – 6 volts.
• Cathode. The carbon-lining acts as cathode (-ve electrode).
• Anode. Anode consists of a number of graphite rods
suspended into the electrolyte.
• Powdered Coke – It prevents the graphite anode which
are projecting out from burning. It prevents the heat loss
from electrolyte which helps to maintain the temperature
• Control Bulb – When the alumina decreases in the electrolyte, the voltage jumps from 40 to
60 volt and the bulb glows. So it indicated to add more alumina in the electrolyte.
• Process. When electric current is passed through the electrolyte, aluminium metal is obtained
at the cathode, while oxygen gas is liberated at the anode. During electrolysis, when the
concentration of alumina falls below a certain level, the indicator bulb starts glowing. To make
up for the loss of alumina in the electrolyte, more alumina is added to it.
Electrolytic Reactions:
Al2O3  2Al +3 + 3O-2
At Cathode:
2Al+3 + 6e-  2AI (pure aluminium metal obtained at cathode)
At anode:
3O-2 - 6e- 3 [O] → 3O2
(Oxygen gas is evolved at anode which react with carbon anode)
C + [O]  CO (ii)
CO + [O]  CO2  (iii)
(3 gases are evolved at anode)
• The oxygen evolved at anode escapes as gas or react with carbon anode. Carbon anode is
hence renewed periodically after a certain period of usage.
• Further purification is done by electrolytic refining.
Alloy:
An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of two or more metals
or a metal and a non-metal fused together in the
molten state . For example, brass is an alloy of copper and
zinc. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.
What is the purpose of making an alloy?
•To modify their appearance and colour
•To increase the hardness and tensile strength and resistant to electricity and
•Amalgam is an alloy in which base metal is Mercury.
Eg :Zinc amalgam(Zinc and mercury).
Sodium amalgam(Na and Hg)