Extracting Metals (Edexcel GCSE Combined Science) : Revision Note

Stewart Hird

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Sources of Metals

  • The Earth’s crust contains metals and metal compounds such as gold, copper, iron oxide and aluminium oxide

  • Useful metals are often chemically combined with other substances forming ores

  • A metal ore is a rock that contains enough of the metal to make it worthwhile extracting

  • They have to be extracted from their ores through processes such as electrolysis, using a blast furnace or by reacting with more reactive material

  • In many cases the ore is an oxide of the metal, therefore the extraction of these metals is a reduction process since oxygen is being removed

  • Common examples of oxide ores are iron and aluminium ores which are called haematite and bauxite respectively

  • Unreactive metals do not have to be extracted chemically as they are often found as the uncombined element

  • They are known as native metals

  • This occurs as they do not easily react with other substances due to their chemical stability

  • Examples include gold and platinum which can both be mined directly from the Earth’s crust

Extracting Metals

Extraction of metals and the reactivity series

  • The most reactive metals are at the top of the series

  • The tendency to become oxidised is thus linked to how reactive a metal is and therefore its position on the reactivity series

  • Metals higher up are therefore less resistant to oxidation than the metals placed lower down which are more resistant to oxidation

  • The position of the metal on the reactivity series determines the method of extraction

  • Higher placed metals (above carbon) have to be extracted using electrolysis as they are too reactive and cannot be reduced by carbon

  • Lower placed metals can be extracted by heating with carbon which reduces them

Metals Extraction Method Table

2-5-2-extracting-metals-1
Extracting Metals 2, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Chemistry revision notes

The extraction method depends on the position of a metal in the reactivity series

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Make sure you can explain why aluminium is extracted by electrolysis while iron is extracted by reduction as it is a question that often comes up.

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Stewart Hird

Author: Stewart Hird

Expertise: Chemistry Lead

Stewart has been an enthusiastic GCSE, IGCSE, A Level and IB teacher for more than 30 years in the UK as well as overseas, and has also been an examiner for IB and A Level. As a long-standing Head of Science, Stewart brings a wealth of experience to creating Topic Questions and revision materials for Save My Exams. Stewart specialises in Chemistry, but has also taught Physics and Environmental Systems and Societies.

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