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Extracting Metals from Ores

Practical Metallurgy MEC 172. Extracting Metals from Ores. Metals from Ores. Iron is the 4th most plentiful element on earth Almost never found in metallic state Mixed with various compounds called ores Mining Natural Ores of Iron Iron ore sources Table 1.1

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Extracting Metals from Ores

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  1. Practical Metallurgy MEC 172 Extracting Metals from Ores II

  2. Metals from Ores • Iron is the 4th most plentiful element on earth • Almost never found in metallic state • Mixed with various compounds called ores • Mining Natural Ores of Iron • Iron ore sources Table 1.1 • Open pit mines vs. Underground mines • Separating the ore II

  3. Production of Pig Iron • Iron ore is converted to pig iron in Blast Furnace. • Raw materials placed into furnace: • Iron ore, Coke & Limestone • Coke is residue of soft coal heated without air • Reduction process • Yields Slag • Pig iron is intermediate step in making Steel • Contains 3 to 4.5 % carbon, 4% silicon & 1% Manganese II

  4. Sponge Iron & Powder • Wrought Iron • Advantages are: • High ductility • Good weld ability • Corrosion resistance • “Aston Process” • Iron & Steel are poured into a slag filled furnace allowed to cool then squeezed by hydraulic press II

  5. Steel Making Process • Steel is an alloy of Iron • Contains < .05% to 2% Carbon • 90% of all steel is plain carbon, under 1% carbon content • Ingredients in steel • Manganese [Mn] - No steel is without this • Removes oxygen and to control sulfur • Bismuth is added to make free machining steel • Major Steel making processes • Basic oxygen, Open hearth, Bessemer & Electric furnaces II

  6. Bessemer • No longer used in the United States • Makes a low grade product • Uses air to burn out excess carbon • Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) figs. 1.9 • Makes high quality steel • Uses oxygen lance to burn out impurities • Produces 53 million tons per year in US • Rapid production - 200 ton heat per hour II

  7. Open-Hearth Process figs. 1.11-13 • High quality production • 100 to 375 tons per heat in 8 to 10 hours • 4 million tons produced • Electric Furnace figs. 1.15-16 • High quality & Production rates = 35% of all steel produced • Most special alloys are produced by electric furnace • Stainless and Tool Steel • Produce 100 tons per heat • Most popular types of electric furnace is Direct arc electric furnace II

  8. Raw materials • Best iron ores are depleted in the US • US has great supply of two major materials • Coal • Scrap Metal • Using scrap metal has limitations • Auto scrap has Tin & Copper • Both are bad for making high grade steel II

  9. Non Ferrous Metals • Smelting of Non Ferrous (non iron) metals • Use Furnaces like steel • Roasting is a process applied prior to smelting • Concentrate heat & air to convert ore to oxide or sulfate • Copper • Plentiful in its native or pure state • Smelting fumes are bad for environment II

  10. Zinc • Source is Franklinite a zinc-iron-manganese oxide • Grinding ore to separate the three • Then roasted or distilled to produce zinc • Lead • Lead ore is known as Galena • Aluminum • 7.5% of earth’s crust • Most abundant • Bauxite in the ore that produces Aluminum • 2 refining processes • Crushing with caustic soda to break free the Aluminum • Refined in an electrolytic reduction process pg. 17 II

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