Extraction of Metals

Key Stage 3

Extraction of Metals is how we get usable metal from ore found in the ground.

There are 3 main ways extraction of metals takes place:

None - Elements below Hydrogen are found Native which means the metal element can be found not as part of a compound.
Smelting - Elements above Hydrogen but below Carbon are found in metal compounds so they need to be extracted by using Carbon to displace the metal from the compound.
Electrolysis - Elements above Carbon are found in metal compounds but they cannot be extracted with Carbon because Carbon is less reactive than those metals so we use electrolysis to extract them.


The ores are mined from the ground using explosives and heavy machinery.	The ores are transported to metal refineries by trucks, trains and boats. The metal refineries can be thousands of miles away.	The material is purified to remove unwanted pieces of rock. If the metal is native it is put in a furnace to melt. If the metal is in a compound it is either put in a furnace with Carbon to displace it or it is placed in an electrolysis cell to be extracted with electricity.	The metal is then molded into ingots before being transported again to where they are needed.