How are metals extracted from their ores?
How a metal is extracted from its ore depends on how reactive the metal is. Because aluminium is more reactive than iron it has to be extracted from its oxide in a different way. KS3 Some metals are more reactive than others. By observing whether or not various metals react: with air, to produce metal oxides; with water (cold, hot or as steam) to produce metal hydroxides (or oxides) and hydrogen; with dilute acids, to produce metal salts and hydrogen; and by observing how vigorous any of these reactions are a reactivity series can be determined. FT and HT (a) The Earth’s crust contains metals and metal compounds. These are always found mixed with other substances. In ores, the metal or metal compound is concentrated enough to make it economic to extract the metal. (b) Gold, an unreactive metal, is found in the Earth as the metal itself. Chemical separation is not needed. (c) The reactivity series of metals lists metals in order of their reactivity, the most reactive metal being placed
