Metals And Their ores

Minerals or substances that occur naturally beneath the Earth's surface are known as metals. The majority of metals are glossy or shiny. Metals and their ores are inorganic, meaning they are formed of materials that have never been alive. Metals are natural components of the Earth's crust that are present in the form of metal ores and are related to each other as well as a variety of other elements. They're also found in the rocks washed by surface and groundwater, as well as in air dust. Aluminium, copper, iron, tin, gold, lead, silver, titanium, uranium, and zinc are examples of metals. Bronze and steel are two well-known alloys.

What are the Properties of Metals and their Ores?

Malleability and Ductility

Metals' structure is made up of layers of metal ions. When these layers are given a force, they can glide over each other. The metal layers can then be pounded flat and piled on top of one another to make thin wires. The metal can alter shape without shattering, thanks to metallic bonding.

Conduction of electricity

Because metal contains charged particles that may move, therefore, conducts electricity. Delocalised electrons flow through the lattice structure when a voltage is applied to a metal. An electric current is formed by the movement of these charged particles. The metal ions in the metallic lattice are not able to migrate and are maintained in fixed locations.

Hardness

The metal's capacity to resist permanent distortion, abrasions, cutting, and penetration is commonly referred to as Hardness. Hardness can be lessened or enhanced in many types simply by manipulating them or giving heat and cold treatments.

Brittleness

This is frequently interpreted as the metal's capacity to bend or reform without breaking. Some types can be damaged by fractures and other forms of damage without losing their shape. Because it isn't seen in other materials, brittleness is a popular attribute of metal (such as wood and plastic).

Malleability

This refers to a metal's ability to be hammered, folded, pressed, or rolled into a completely different shape without breaking or inflicting harm.

Ductility

This is often confused with malleability because it also involves bending, rolling, drawing, and twisting metal without damaging it. Still, the term 'ductile' refers to a more permanent change in shape.

Restoration

This is the capacity of metal to return to its original shape. The most common technique to achieve this is to eliminate the force that caused the material to change shape in the first place.

Elasticity Metal isn't usually thought of as supple. Still, it can be moulded and shaped to a certain extent (once past this point, the material will be subject to a permanent distortion).

Toughness

This refers to a metal's capacity to tolerate a great deal of wear and tear without breaking or suffering other types of damage. It can be hammered repeatedly without producing a hole, for example.

Conductivity

The ability of a metal to conduct both heat and electricity is referred to as conductivity. This is why such components are used in wiring and other applications that need heat or electricity to operate.

What are Ores of Metal?

Ores are naturally occurring rocks that contain sufficient amounts of metals or metal compounds to make extraction feasible. The process used to extract a certain metal from its ore is determined by the metal's reactivity and thus the ore's stability.

In each case, the metal ion in the compound gains electrons, i.e. they are reduced.

Very reactive metal ore must be melted and electrolysed using a DC (direct current) power supply.

The negative electrode attracts the positive metal ions, which accept electrons.

To extract the metal from reactive metal ore, it must be heated with carbon or carbon monoxide.

Reactive metal ores, such as copper, are reduced when they are heated with carbon or carbon monoxide. We can refer to these substances as reducing agents because the presence of carbon or carbon monoxide causes the reduction to occur.

Heat is all that is required to extract metal from unreactive metal ore.

List of Important Metals and their Ores

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Iron

In a massive container known as a blast furnace, iron is recovered from iron ore. Iron(III) oxide, Fe₂O₃, is found in iron ores such as haematite. To leave the iron behind, the oxygen must be removed from the iron(III) oxide. Reduction reactions are those in which oxygen is eliminated from the equation.

Aluminium

Aluminium is the most abundant metal on Earth, but it is also the most expensive, owing to the quantity of electricity required in its extraction. Bauxite is the name given to the important ore of aluminium (Al₂O₃). Bauxite, the ore of aluminium,  is refined to produce aluminium oxide (also known as alumina), a white powder form from which aluminium can be extracted. Electrolysis is used to extract the aluminium oxide, but it must first be melted so that electricity can travel through it. However, because aluminium oxide has a high melting point (about 2,000°C), melting it would be costly.

Zinc

Zinc Blende, also known as Zinc Sulphide, is the most widely available ore for zinc extraction (ZnS). Zinc extraction has traditionally been more challenging than other metal extractions because zinc is a gas at temperatures where metals such as iron melt. Zinc will escape with exhaust gases at those temperatures due to its extremely low boiling point. Because Zinc-Blende contains a low amount of zinc, it must be concentrated. Froth flotation is the best concentration process for zinc ore.

Copper

Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), commonly known as Copper Pyrites and other sulphides, is the most common ore utilised in copper extraction. Direct copper extraction is not feasible due to the low percentage of copper in the ore. The ore must be concentrated, which is accomplished via the Froth Flotation technique. The ore is crushed into a fine powder, which is then suspended in water. Collectors and Froth Stabilizers are added to this. Collectors (pine oils, fatty acids, etc.) boost the metal component of the ore's non-wettability, allowing it to form froth, while Froth Stabilizers (cresols, aniline, etc.) keep the froth in place. The oil lubricates the metal, while the water lubricates the gangue. The froth is created by constantly stirring up the suspension with paddles and air. In order to recover the metal, the frothy metal is skimmed off the top and dried.

Gold

The principal gold ores are both exogenetic (produced at the Earth's surface) and endogenetic (formed underground) (formed within the Earth). Alluvial gold is the most well-known exogenetic ores. Gold found in riverbeds, streambeds, and floodplains is known as alluvial gold. It's always elemental gold, and it's usually made up of tiny particles. Alluvial gold deposits are generated when gold-bearing rocks are weathered by wind, rain, and temperature changes. They were the most prevalent form of ancient mine.

Silver

Silver (Ag) has a dazzling, metallic shine and a white tone when untarnished. It is quite rare to find it in its natural state. Silver can be found in a variety of minerals and ores, including argentite, chlorargyrite, and galena, when it is coupled with other elements like sulphur, arsenic, antimony, or chlorine. Silver is found in ore deposits of lead, zinc, gold, and copper. The most important silver ore mineral is argentite (Ag2S, silver sulfide). Smelting or chemical leaching are two common methods for extracting silver from ore.

Mercury

The majority of the world's mercury comes from vermillion or cinnabar, which has the chemical structure of mercury sulphide (HgS). Cinnabar is normally found in large or granular form. However, tiny crystals like the ones shown below can also be discovered. Small drops of mercury metal can sometimes be discovered within the ore, which is brilliant red in colour. Cinnabar mining is primarily concentrated in Italy and Spain, which produce half of the world's mercury.

Did you know?

Alloys make up a large portion of the metals we use today. Metals that mix two or more elements are known as alloys. They're also known as metallic compounds. Alloys are frequently stronger and tougher than pure metals.

Steel is an extremely strong alloy. Steel alloys come in a range of shapes and sizes. Iron and modest amounts of carbon are used to make a common one. We use stainless steel for kitchenware and kitchen equipment because it contains chromium. Steel is utilised in a wide range of industries around the world.