GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES OF ISOLATION OF ELEMENTS

1. Comment of the statement “ all minerals are not ores”.

Minerals are naturally occuring chemical substances in the earth crust. A mineral that is
viable to be used as source of a metal is known as ore. Because the process of metullurgy
should be such that it is chemically feasible and commercially viable.
2. Define the following terms.
a) Flux : A chemical substance added to the ore during the process of metallurgy to remove
the impurity.
b) Gangue : The undesired or earthy materials which contaminate the ore.
c) Slag : The chemical substance formd by reaction between flux and gangue.
Flux + gangue → slag
3. Which are the major steps in metallurgy ?
a) Concentration of ore
b) Isolation of the metal from its concentrated ore
c) Purification of the metal
4. Define the term metallurgy.
The entire scientific and technological processes used for isolaion of a metal from its ore.
5. For the extraction of iron, oxide ores are preferred over iron pyrites. Why?
Because oxide ores are abundant and do not produce polluting gases like SO 2
6. What do you mean by the term “ dressing” in the field of metallurgy ?
It is the removal of unwanted materials like sand, clay etc from the ore. It is also known as
concentration of ore or benefaction.
7. What is the principle of hydraulic washing?
It is based on the differences in gravities of the ore and the gangue particles. It is a type of
gravity separation.
8. Explain the method of hydraulic washing.
An upward stream of running water is used to wash the powdered ore. The lighter gangue
particles are washed away leaving behind heavier ore.
9. What is the necessary requirement for an ore which is to be concentrated using magnetic
separation?
Either the ore or the gangue is capable of being attracted by a magnetic field.
10. Explaing the process of magnetic separation.
The ground ore is carried on a conveyer belt which passes over a magnetic roller. Then the
ore and gangue particles are collected separately.
11. What is the principle of froth floatation ?
The mineral particles become wet by oils while the gangue particles by water.
12. What is the role of the following substances in froth floationmethod.
a) Collector : To enhance the non-wettability of the mineral particles.
b) Froth stabilisers : To stabilise the froth during the entire process of froth floatation.
 c) Depressents : When a mixture of two ores are concentrated, depressant helps to
prevent one type of ore from coming to the froth and allows the required ore to come
to the froth.
13. What are the examples of collectors and froth stabilisers.
Collectors : Pine oils, fatty acids, xanthates.
Froth stabilisers : Cresols, aniline.
14. What is the role of NaCN in the metallurgy of Lead.
NaCN acts as a depressant in the froth floatation process. It prevents the ZnS present in the
mixtrue from coming to the froth and allows only PbS to come to the froth.
15. Briefly explain the process of froth floatation.
A suspension of powdered ore is made with water into which collectors and froth stabilisers
are added. A rotating paddle agitates the mixture and draws air in it. As a result froth is
formed which carries the mineral particles. The froth is light and is skimmed off and dired to
recover the ore particles.
16. Explain the leaching of Alumina from bauxite.
Powdered ore is digested with conc. NaOH at 475 K and 35 bar pressure, when Al 2O3 is
leached out as sodium aluminate and gangue is converted to sodium silicate.
equation
The mixture is filtered and the filterate is neutralised by passing CO2 gas. Then hydrated
Al2O3 is precipitated and sodium silicate remains in the solution.
equation
The mixture is filtered and solid Al2O3 is dried and heated to give anhydrous Alumina.
Equation
17. Explain the leaching of silver and gold.
Ore is leached with a dil. Solution of NaCN in the presence of oxygen from which the metal
is obtained later by replacement.
Equation
18. Differentiate between calcination and roasting.
Calcination: Heating of the ore under controlled supply of oxygen when the volatile matter
escapes leaving behind the metal oxide. Write eg. Equation.
Roasting : Ore is heated in a regular supply of oxygen in a furnace at a temperature below
the melting point of the metal. Write eg. Equation.
19. What is the role of silica in the metallurgy of copper?
Silica acts as a flux. It reacts with FeO present in the ore and iron silicate slag is formed.
Equation.
20. What is the use of SO2 produced in the roasting of sulphide ores?
It is used for manufacturing H2SO4.
21. What is Ellingham diagram?
It is a plot of ΔG0 (kJ/mol) against Temperature (K) for the formation of some metal oxides.
22. What is the significance of Ellingham diagram.
To understand the variation in the temperature requirement for thermal reductions and to
predict reducing agent for a given metal oxide.
23. Explain the working of blast furnace for the extraction of Fe.
Oxides of Fe after concentration through calcination/roasting, is mixed with limestone and
coke are fed into the Blast furnace. Hot air is blown from the bottom of the furnace.
C + O2→ CO2 + heat
In the lower portion of the furnace coke is burnt to produce CO and a temperature upto
about 2200K is created.The CO and heat moves to upper part and iron oxides are reduced
to FeO. The reactions that take place at lower temperature area (500-800K) are:
3Fe2O3 + CO →2Fe3O4 + CO2
Fe3O4 + 4CO →3Fe + 4CO2
Fe2O3 + CO →2FeO + CO2
The reactions take place at higher temperature area (900-1500K) are :
C + CO2→CO
FeO + CO → Fe + CO2
Formation of slag: Limestone gets decomposed to CaO,which reacts withi silica and calcium
silicate is formed as slag.
CaCO3→CaO + CO2
CaO + SiO2→CaSiO3
The iron obtained in the blast furnace is known as pig iron which contains 4% carbon and
S,P,Si, Mnetc as minor impurites.
24. Write a note on the following terms.
a) Pig iron : Iron obtained directly from blast furnace. It contains 4% carbon and S,P,Si,
Mnetc as minor impurites.
b) Cast iron : It more pure Fe than pig iron. It is obtained by melting pig iron with scrap iron
and coke using hot air blast. It is extremely hard, brittle and contains 3% carbon.
c) Wrougthiron : Purest, malleable form of iron. It is prepared from cast iron by oxidising
impurities in a reverberatory furnace lined with haematite. Limestone is also added to
oxidise S, Si and P.
Fe2O3 + 3C → 2Fe + 3CO
25. What is copper matte?
Copper matte is a mixture of Cu2S and FeO which is produced as result of roasting of its ores
in a reverberatory furnace.
26. What is blister copper?
It is the copper obtained when copper matte is heated with silica in a silica lined convertor.
It has a blistered appearance due to the evolution of SO2.
27. Briefly explain the extraction of copper.
The ores of copper are roasted by heating in a reverberatory furnace after mixing with
silica. Then the iron oxide slags off as iron silicate and copper is produced as copper matte
(Cu2S and FeS).