Metallurgy Basic Concepts - 10 CBSE / ICSE | Roasting and Calcination | Froth Floatation | Metals

Metallurgy, in the context of class 10, refers to the process of extracting metals from their ores and refining them for various uses. It involves several key steps: concentrating the ore, converting it into a metal oxide, reducing the oxide to obtain the metal, and finally, refining the crude metal to achieve the desired purity.
1. Minerals and Ores:
Minerals: Naturally occurring inorganic compounds of metals found in the Earth's crust.
Ores: Minerals from which metals can be extracted profitably and conveniently.
Gangue: Unwanted rocky material present in the ore.
2. Steps in Metallurgy:
Concentration of Ore (Ore Dressing):
Removing the gangue from the ore. Common methods include:
Hydraulic Washing: Separating based on density, often used for oxide ores.
Froth Floatation: Using a froth to separate sulphide ores.
Magnetic Separation: Separating magnetic ores (like iron ore).
Conversion to Metal Oxide:
Transforming the concentrated ore into its oxide form. This is done through:
Roasting: Heating the ore in the presence of air, often used for sulphide ores.
Calcination: Heating the ore in the absence of air, often used for carbonate ores.
Reduction of Metal Oxide:
Extracting the metal from its oxide form. This can be achieved through:
Chemical Reduction: Using a reducing agent like carbon (coke) to remove the oxygen.
Electrolytic Reduction: Using electricity to separate the metal from the oxide.
Refining of Metals:
Purifying the crude metal obtained from reduction. Common methods include:
Distillation: Separating metals with low boiling points.
Liquation: Separating metals with low melting points.
Electrolytic Refining: Using electrolysis to purify metals.
3. Activity Series of Metals:
Metals are arranged in a reactivity series based on their tendency to lose electrons and form positive ions.
Metals at the top of the series (like potassium, sodium, calcium) are highly reactive and found in combined forms in nature.
Metals in the middle (like zinc, iron, lead) are moderately reactive and can be extracted from their ores through chemical reduction.
Metals at the bottom (like copper, silver, gold) are less reactive and can be found in their native state (uncombined).
4. Important Concepts:
Flux:
A substance added to the furnace during smelting to remove impurities (gangue) as slag.
Smelting:
Heating the ore with a reducing agent and flux in a furnace to extract the metal.
Alloys:
Mixtures of metals or a metal and a non-metal, often with improved properties compared to the individual metals.
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