Extraction of metals

An ore is a rock that you can extract metals from. Most metals exist in the earth’s crust as  compounds. These are mixed with other substances in ores.An example is iron ore which is a mixture of iron oxide and other compounds.Another example, Aluminium ore is a mixture of aluminium oxide and other compounds.

 

How are metals extracted from ores?

To extract iron from its ore there are two main stages

1. Separate iron oxide from the compounds it is mixed with

2. Use chemical reactions to extract iron from iron oxide

 

Which metal oxides react with carbon?

Carbon is a non - metal But we can place in the reactivity series between aluminum and zinc.

Any metal that is below carbon in the reactivity series can be displaced form its compounds by carbon.You can heat carbon powder with copper oxide. Carbon displaces copper from copper oxide.:

 

Carbon + Copper oxide → copper +  Carbon dioxide

Carbon + lead oxide → lead +  Carbon dioxide

 

Can carbon extract any metal from its compound?

You can not  use carbon to extract aluminum for aluminum oxide this is because aluminum is more reactive than carbon.It is above carbon in the reactivity series.