Methods of obtaining Pure

Metals from their Ores

Methods of obtaining Pure
Metals from their Ores:

Crushing and Grinding of Ore

Concentration of Ore
Roasting, Calcination and Smelting
Reduction
Refining of Metals
 Pulverisation

Ores are crushed into fine powder in big jaw crushers and
ball mills
First step: Concentration of Ore

• Centrifugation
• Froth Flotation Method
• Magnetic Separation
 Centrifugation

Is done when there is difference between the

densities of the ore and the impurities.
 Froth Floatation method

Is used to concentrate ores that are in Sulphide

Forms.
 Magnetic Separation

The Magnetic Particles are attracted to the Magnetic wheels

and fall separately apart from the Non-Magnetic Particles.
Second step: Conversion of
Ores to Metallic Oxides

• Roasting
• Calcination
• Smelting
 Roasting

The process of heating the concentrated ore to high

temperature in presence of excess air.
 Calcination

The process of heating the concentrated ore in

absence of air at a temperature not sufficient to
melt the ore.
 Smelting

A melting operation in which the constituents of

the ore are in melted form
 Third Step:
Reduction of Metallic Oxides

• Reducing Agents
• Electrolysis
• Thermal Decomposition
• Reducing agents like Carbon or Carbon
Monoxide are used to reduce Zinc, Iron, Lead,
and Copper Oxides.
• When Oxides of metals like Iron Manganese
and Chromium are heated with Aluminum, the
corresponding metal is obtained by reduction.
• Electrochemical reduction method is used to
obtain metals from oxides of active metals
because these metals attract more oxygen
than Carbon.
Last step: Refining of metals

• Electrolysis
• Liquefaction
• Distillation
 Electrolysis

Process by which electric current is passed through

a substance to effect a chemical change. The
chemical change is one in which the substance
loses or gains an electron (oxidation or reduction).
 Liquefaction

Is used for refining of metals like tin, lead etc,

having low melting points.
 Distillation

Best of Metallurgy Engineering-Smarttechbuzz.mp4

Is used in pyrometallurgical processes, which are

based on the conversion of reducible metals to a
vapor-like state, followed by condensation.
Materials are often classified into:
• Pure Metal or alloyed combinations of metallic
elements
• Polymers-plastics and rubber that are
compound of carbon, hydrogen, and selected
other elements
• Ceramics-compounds between metallic and
non-metallic elements
 Types of metallurgical testing:
• Chemical analysis
• Hardness testing
• Fatigue testing
• Tensile testing
• Impact testing
• Microstructural analysis