Aluminium is the worlds most abundant metal

and is the third most common element

comprising 8% of the earths crust. The
versatility of aluminium makes it the most
widely used metal after steel.
Aluminium is derived from the
mineral bauxite. Bauxite is converted
to aluminium oxide (alumina) via the
Bayer Process. The alumina is then
converted to aluminium metal using
electrolytic cells and the Hall-Heroult
Process.
Properties.
Aluminium
1) is a strong, malleable metal element.
2) has a low density.
2) is resistant to corrosion.
3) is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
4) can be polished to give a highly reflective
surface.
Uses.
1) Low density and strength make aluminium ideal for
construction of aircraft, lightweight vehicles, and ladders.
An alloy of aluminium called duralumin is often used
instead of pure aluminium because of its improved properties.
2) Easy shaping and corrosion resistance make aluminium
a good material for drink cans and roofing materials.
3) Corrosion resistance and low density leads to its use
for greenhouses and window frames.
4) Good conduction of heat leads to its use
for boilers, cookers and cookware.
5) Good conduction of electricity leads to its use
for overhead power cables hung from pylons
(low density gives it an advantage over copper).
6) High reflectivity makes aluminium ideal for
mirrors, reflectors and heat resistant clothing for fire fighting.
PROPERTIES
a good electrical conductor
a good thermal conductor
corrosion resistant
antibacterial
easily joined
ductile
tough
non magnetic
attractive colour
easy to alloy
recyclable
catalytic
ALLOYS
. Some copper alloys are:brass: copper + zinc
bronze: copper + tin
cupro nickel: copper + nickel
The alloys are harder, stronger and tougher than pure
copper. They can be made even harder by hammering them
- a process called work hardening.

Uses.
1) Copper is the main metal for electrical wiring
(compare with aluminium).
2) Copper is malleable which makes it an ideal
material for gas pipes and water pipes.Copper is below hydrogen in the reactivity series and
therefore it does not react with water.Copper is the metal used
or plumbing in houses.Lead was used for plumbing in the past but has been replaced
by copper because lead compounds in water are toxic.This is an example of a new
material replacing an older one because of the new material's superior properties.
3) Copper is sometimes used for cookware (not common).
4) Copper is mixed with other metals to form alloys.Copper is mixed with zinc to make brass
and with tin to make bronze.
Physical Properties:

Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous metal. It is brittle at ambient
temperatures but is malleable at 100 to 150C. It is a reasonable
conductor of electricity.
The density of zinc is 7.140 g/mL, which means the metal will sink
in water and is relatively heavy.

Chemical Properties:
Most zinc production is based upon sulfide ores. These are roasted
in industrial plants to form zinc oxide, ZnO. This may then be
reduced with carbon to form zinc metal.
Zinc burns in air at high red heat with evolution of white clouds of
the zinc oxide.
The graphic on the left shows an exothermic reaction of zinc metal
and iodine element reacting to form zinc iodide.
Zinc is extracted from either zinc blende/sphalerite ore (zinc sulphide) or sometimes calamine/Smithsonite ore (zinc carbonate).
(1) The zinc sulphide ore is roasted in air to give impure zinc oxide and forming the nasty poisonous gas sulfur dioxide (sulphur dioxide).
zinc sulfide + oxygen ==> zinc oxide + sulfur dioxide
2ZnS + 3O
2
==> 2ZnO + 2SO
2

2ZnS(s) + 3O
2
(g) ==> 2ZnO(s) + 2SO
2
(g)
Note: calamine ore can be used directly in a zinc smelter because on heating it also forms zinc oxide.
ZnCO
3
(s) ==> ZnO(s) + CO
2
(g) (endothermic thermal decomposition)
(2) The impure zinc oxide can be treated in two ways to extract the zinc:
(a) It is roasted in a smelting furnace with carbon (coke, reducing agent) and limestone (to remove the acidic impurities). The chemistry is similar to iron from
a blast furnace.
carbon + oxygen ==> carbon dioxide
C + O
2
==> CO
2
(very exothermic oxidation, raises temperature considerably)
C(s) + O
2
(g) ==> CO
2
(g)
carbon + carbon dioxide ==> carbon monoxide
C + CO
2
==> 2CO (C oxidised, CO
2
reduced)
C(s) + CO
2
(g) ==> 2CO(g)
zinc oxide + carbon monoxide ==> zinc + carbon dioxide
ZnO + CO ==> Zn + CO
2
(zinc oxide reduced by CO, Zn undergoes O loss)
ZnO(s) + CO(g) ==> Zn(l) + CO
2
(g)
or direct reduction by carbon:
ZnO + C ==> Zn + CO (ZnO reduced, C oxidised)
ZnO(s) + C(s) ==> Zn(l) + CO(g)
not sure if 2ZnO + C ==> 2Zn + CO
2
happens?
REDOX definition reminders reduction is a process of oxygen loss (or electron gain) and oxidation is a process of oxygen gain (or electron loss).
The carbon monoxide acts as the reducing agent i.e. it removes the oxygen from the oxide.
The impure zinc is then fractionally distilled from the mixture of slag and other metals like lead and cadmium out of the top of the furnace in an
atmosphere rich in carbon monoxide which stops any zinc from being oxidised back to zinc oxide.
The slag and lead (with other metals like cadmium) form two layers which can be tapped off at the base of the furnace.
The zinc can be further purified by a 2nd fractional distillation or more likely by dissolving it in dilute sulphuric acid and purified electrolytically as
described below.
(b)Two stages
(i) It is dissolved and neutralised with dilute sulphuric acid to form impure zinc sulphate solution.
ZnO + H
2
SO
4
==> ZnSO
4
+ H
2
O
ZnO(s) + H
2
SO
4
(aq) ==> ZnSO
4
(aq) + H
2
O(l)
or using calamine ore (zinc carbonate) directly:
ZnCO
3
+ H
2
SO
4
==> ZnSO
4
+ H
2
O + CO
2

ZnCO
3
(s) + H
2
SO
4
(aq) ==> ZnSO
4
(aq) + H
2
O(l)+ CO
2
(g)
(ii) Quite pure zinc is produced from the solution by electrolysis. It can be deposited on a pure zinc negative electrode (cathode) in the same way copper
can be purified. The other electrode, must be inert e.g. for laboratory experiments, carbon (graphite) can be used and oxygen is formed.
Zn
2+
(aq)
+ 2e

==> Zn
(s)

A reduction process, electron gain, as zinc metal is deposited on the () electrode.
You can't use solid zinc oxide directly because its insoluble and the ions must free to carry the current and migrate to the electrodes in some sort of
solution.
For more details of the type of electrolysis system used, see purification of copper (just swap Zn for Cu in the method/diagram).
PLEASE note: In the industrial production of zinc by electrolysis (called electrowinning) the negative () cathode is made of aluminium (Al, where
zinc deposits) and the positive (+) electrode is made of a leadsilver alloy (PbAg, where oxygen gas is formed).
Why these particular electrode metals are used in this 'electrowinning' process I'm not quite sure, but aluminium is so unreactive that it is
effectively inert, and lead and silver are also of low chemical reactivity.
Uses
Zinc is used in alloys such as brass, nickel silver
and aluminium solder. Large quantities of zinc
are used to produce die-castings which are
important in the automobile, electrical and
hardware industries. It is also used extensively
to galvanise other metals such as iron to
prevent rusting. Zinc oxide is widely used in
the manufacture of very many products such
as paints, rubber, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals,
plastics, inks, soaps, batteries, textiles and
electrical equipment. Zinc sulfide is used in
making luminous dials and fluorescent lights.
The principal ore of lead is galena, chemical formula PbS lead sulphide (lead(II) sulfide)
There is also the less common lead ore cerussite, chemical formula PbCO
3
, lead carbonate (lead(II)
carbonate)
The crushed ores are concentrated by a technique known as froth flotation.
The ores are roasted to drive off unwanted water and convert them to a more suitable chemical form e.g.
lead oxide, for reduction to lead metal. The poisonous acidic gas sulfur dioxide (sulphur dioxide) is
formed.
Roasting galena in air converts the lead sulphide into lead(II) oxide ...
lead(II) sulfide + oxygen ==> lead oxide + sulfur dioxide
2PbS + 3O
2
==> 2PbO + 2SO
2

2PbS(s) + 3O
2
(g) ==> 2PbO(s) + 2SO
2
(g)
... but harmful and polluting sulfur dioxide is made in the process, which must be dealt with!
Roasting cerussite coverts the lead carbonate into lead oxide ...
lead(II) carbonate ==> lead(II) oxide + carbon dioxide
PbCO
3
==> PbO + CO
2

PbCO
3
(s) ==> PbO(s) + CO
2
(g)
... an example of a thermal decomposition
The more concentrated lead oxide can then be reduced in a coke fired blast furnace ...
lead(II) oxide ==> lead + carbon dioxide
2PbO + C ==> 2Pb + CO
2

2PbO(s) + C(s) ==> 2Pb(l) + CO
2
(g)
... the lead oxide is reduced (oxygen loss) and the carbon/coke reducing agent is oxidised (oxygen gain)
in the smelting process.
... as in the blast furnace from iron, the liquid lead can be drained off from the lead smelter.
The above balanced equations, are a simplification of what can be quite complicated chemistry, BUT
they do adequately describe and illustrate the chemical processes for obtaining lead from its ores.
The overall process from lead ore to very pure lead is quite complicated and lead ores contain other
valuable metals like silver, so there more stages in the process than are described here.
Lead is very resistant to corrosion - lead pipes
from Roman times are still in use today
and it is often used to store corrosive liquids.
Great quantities of lead, both as the metal and
the dioxide, are used in batteries.
Lead is also used in cable covering, plumbing
and ammunition.
Tetraethyl lead is used as an anti-knock agent
in petrol, and as an additive in paints.
The use of lead in plumbing, petrol and paints
has been reduced in the past few years
because of environmental concern, as lead is a
cumulative poison and is thought to affect
brain development and function, especially in
young children.
Lead is an effective shield around X-ray
equipment and nuclear reactors.
Lead oxide is used in the production of fine
crystal glass.