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===About the Extraction of Metals===
There are 2 4 methods for '''extracting metals''' from [[Metal Compound|metal compounds]]:
*[[Extracting Metals by Electrolysis|Electrolysis]] - Which can be done for all [[metal]]s, but usually only those more [[reactive]] than [[Carbon]] on the [[Reactivity Series|reactivity series]].
*[[Smelting]] - Which can be done for [[metal]]s less [[reactive]] than [[Carbon]] on the [[Reactivity Series|reactivity series]].
*[[Bioleaching]] - Which can be done for any [[metal]]s and is usually used on [[ore]]s with a low [[mineral]] content.
*[[Phytomining]] - Which can be done for any [[metal]]s and is usually used on [[ore]]s with a low [[mineral]] content.
: The method chosen to '''extract a metal''' depends on the [[energy]] needed, the cost and the time taken.
: [[Smelting]] requires very high [[temperature]]s to [[melt]] the [[mineral]]s from the [[ore]].
: [[Extracting Metals by Electrolysis|Electrolysis]] can be done in [[solution]] with water at low [[temperature]]s if the [[mineral]] is [[soluble]] and the [[metal]] does not [[Chemical Reaction|react]] strongly with [[water]]. However for [[insoluble]] [[mineral]]s and [[metal]]s which do [[Chemical Reaction|react]] with [[water]] then high [[temperature]]s are needed to [[melt]] the [[mineral]].
: [[Bioleaching]] uses [[bacteria]] to '''extract''' [[mineral]]s from [[ore]] which happens at room [[temperature]] and is then followed by [[Extracting Metals by Electrolysis|Electrolysis]] of [[mineral]]s in [[solution]].
: [[Phytomining]] uses [[plant]]s to '''extract''' [[mineral]]s from [[ore]] which happens at room [[temperature]] and is then followed by [[Extracting Metals by Electrolysis|Electrolysis]] of [[mineral]]s in [[solution]].