Metallurgy Notes - Class X ICSE
Chemistry
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is the branch of science and technology concerned with the extraction of metals
from their ores and their refinement.
1. Occurrence of Metals:
Metals are found in the Earth's crust either in the form of free elements (native state) or
combined with other elements in the form of compounds (combined state). The occurrence
depends on the reactivity of the metal.
• Native state: Metals like gold, silver, and platinum are found in the free state because they
are unreactive.
• Combined state: Metals like iron, aluminium, and zinc are found in the combined state as
oxides, sulphides, or carbonates because they are reactive.
2. Important Terms in Metallurgy:
a) Minerals:
Minerals are naturally occurring substances from which metals can be extracted profitably.
Example: Bauxite (Al2O3.2H2O) is a mineral of aluminium.
b) Ore:
Ores are minerals that contain a sufficient quantity of metal, making it economically viable
to extract the metal. Example: Haematite (Fe2O3) is an ore of iron.
c) Metallurgy:
Metallurgy is the process that involves extraction of metals from ores and their refining to
obtain pure metals.
d) Matrix (Gangue):
The impurities such as sand, clay, and rocks associated with ores are called gangue or
matrix.
e) Flux:
Flux is a substance added during the smelting process to combine with gangue to form a
fusible compound called slag. Example: In the extraction of iron, limestone (CaCO₃) is added
as a flux to remove silica (SiO₂).
3. Common Ores of Important Metals:
• Iron: Haematite (Fe₂O₃), Magnetite (Fe₃O₄), Limonite (2Fe₂O₃.3H₂O), Siderite (FeCO₃)
• Zinc: Zinc blende (ZnS), Calamine (ZnCO₃), Zincite (ZnO)
• Aluminium: Bauxite (Al₂O₃.2H₂O), Cryolite (Na₃AlF₆), Corundum (Al₂O₃)
4. Extraction of Metals:
The extraction of metals involves concentration of ores, reduction of metal, and refining.
a) Concentration of Ores: Removing impurities (gangue) from the ore to increase the
percentage of the metal.
b) Reduction of Metal: The concentrated ore is converted into the free metal.
c) Refining of Metals: The crude metal obtained from reduction is purified using methods
like electrolytic refining.
5. Extraction of Aluminium:
Aluminium is extracted through the Bayer's Process (for concentration of bauxite) and the
Hall-Héroult Process (for reduction of alumina).
a) Bayer's Process:
• Step 1: Crushing and grinding bauxite ore.
• Step 2: Digestion with concentrated sodium hydroxide solution to form sodium aluminate.
• Step 3: Precipitation of aluminium hydroxide.
• Step 4: Calcination to obtain pure alumina (Al₂O₃).
b) Hall-Héroult Process:
• Electrolytic reduction of alumina dissolved in molten cryolite.
• At the cathode, aluminium ions are reduced to aluminium.
• At the anode, oxygen is liberated, which reacts with the carbon anode to form carbon
dioxide.
6. Alloys:
Alloys are homogeneous mixtures of two or more metals or a metal and a non-metal. They
enhance properties such as strength, corrosion resistance, and hardness.
Examples of Alloys:
• Brass: Copper (70%) and Zinc (30%)
• Bronze: Copper (90%) and Tin (10%)
• Steel: Iron and Carbon (up to 2%)
• Duralumin: Aluminium (95%), Copper (4%), Magnesium (0.5%), Manganese (0.5%)
Importance of Alloys:
1. Improved Hardness and Strength.
2. Corrosion Resistance.
3. Lower Melting Point.
