Lecture on Minerals, Ores, and Extraction Processes

Introduction to Minerals and Ores

• Minerals: Naturally occurring elements or compounds.
• Ores: Rocks containing a high percentage of a certain mineral.
  • Example: Hematite with high iron content.

Key Concepts

• Earth's crust consists of rocks with various minerals.
• Components in rocks are naturally occurring, not man-made.
• Ore Examples:
  • Hematite (iron)
  • Malachite (copper)
  • Cinnabar (mercury)
• Extraction is economically beneficial when mineral content is high.
• Minerals are commonly oxides, carbonates, or sulfides of metals.

Non-Metal Ores

• Quartz: High in silicon (silicon dioxide)
• Limestone: High in calcium (calcium carbonate)

Mineral Extraction Process

• Iron in Hematite: Mainly iron oxide.
• Copper in Malachite: Mainly copper carbonate.
• Mercury in Cinnabar: Mainly mercury sulfide.
• Extraction methods vary but depend on high mineral percentages.

Reactivity and Extraction

• Reactivity series: Determines how metals can be extracted.
  • Most reactive metals at the top, least reactive at the bottom.
  • Single Displacement Reaction: A more reactive element displaces a less reactive one.

Example: Copper Extraction from Malachite

• Copper Carbonate: Green solid decomposes to copper oxide and carbon dioxide upon heating.
• Experiment:
  • Use copper oxide and charcoal.
  • Heat mixture to extract copper metal.
  • Process involves thermal decomposition and single displacement.
  • Result: Copper metal and carbon dioxide.

Unique Cases

• Gold and Platinum: Exist naturally as native metals.
  • Less reactive, do not form oxides, sulfides, or carbonates.

Summary

• An ore contains a high percentage of a mineral in oxide, sulfide, or carbonate form.
• Minerals can be extracted through single displacement reactions.
• Economic viability of extraction depends on mineral content.