IGCSE CHEMISTRY - IRON EXTRACTION

Iron Extraction

Iron is one of most common metals in the Earth's crust. Its ore is called haematite which mainly contains iron (iii) oxide, Fe2O3. It usually contains at least 60% iron.

Metals toward the middle of the reactivity series, such as iron and zinc are extracted in the blast furnace by reducing their ores with carbon since carbon is more reactive than iron/zinc.

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1. Complete the sentences using the words below.

 

Air         blast                calcium           coke                decomposes         impurities               slag                 Haematite                   oxide               reduces          air

 

We extract iron from iron ore in a …………….. furnace. The commonest ore of iron is ………………..

The other raw materials used are …………………,limestobe and coke.

The carbon monoxide is formed when ……………………… burns in a blast of ……….

Inside the blast furnace, carbon monoxide ……………………. Iron(iii) ……………. to iron.

The limestone added to the blast furnace …………………….. to form …………………….. oxide. Calcium oxide combines with the …………………….. in the iron ore to form ………………….

 

2.    Complete the following labels for the diagram of the blast furnace for extracting iron. The labels fit in places  A–F on the diagram.

 

molten iron out   1500 °C   hot gases out   blast of hot air in

mixture of iron ore, coke and limestone in                molten slag out

 

           A = ……………………………………………..  B  = ……………………………………………..

           C = ……………………………………………..  D = ……………………………………………..

           E  = …………………………………………….. F   = ……………………………………………..

3.  Write balanced chemical equations for these reactions which occur in the blast furnace.

      a   Carbon and oxygen react to form carbon dioxide.

          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

      b  Carbon dioxide reacts with carbon to form carbon monoxide.

          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

      c   Hematite (iron(iii) oxide) reacts with carbon monoxide to form iron and carbon dioxide.

          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

      d  Limestone (calcium carbonate) decomposes to form calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.

          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

      e   Calcium oxide reacts with impurities such as silica to form slag (calcium silicate).

          ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………