1. Extracting iron from its ore Chemical reduction with carbon
1. Raw materials (iron ore, coke and limestone) are added at the top of the furnace.
2. Blasts of hot air (which give the furnace its name) are blown in near the bottom of the furnace.
Load if iron ore, coke and limestone
3. Oxygen in the blasts of air reacts with coke (carbon) to form carbon monoxide.
2C + O2  2CO
This reaction is very exothermic and the temperature in the furnace reached 2000°C.
Gas outlet
The blast furnace
1000°C
4. As the carbon monoxide rises up the furnace, it reacts with the iron ore (iron(III) oxide to form iron.
Fe2O3 + 3CO  2Fe + 3CO2
1500°C
5. Molten iron runs to the bottom of the furnace. It is tapped off from time to time.
6. The molten iron is used to make steel or poured into moulds to solidify. The large chunks of iron formed are called ‘pigs’ so this metal is called ‘pig iron’.
2000°C
Blasts of hot air
Blasts of hot air
Molten slag
(impurities)
Outlet for the slag
Molten iron
Outlet for molten iron

2. Steel – properties and uses
Iron from the blast furnace is very brittle because it contains up to 4.5% carbon.
Most of this iron is converted to steel, which is far more useful, by removing most of the carbon. Mild steel contains approximately 0.5% carbon.
Car bodies
Tinplate
Hard steel contains up to 1.5% carbon.
machines
Domestic appliances
Additional Science
It is possible to treat steel .
Chapter 8
Heat treatment
Creating alloys with other metals
Stainless steel (chromium and nickel)
Very hard steel (tungsten)
Tough steel (manganese)

3. Recycling steel Steel is recycled on a large scale. Additional Science
Saves up to 50% of energy costs
Helps to conserve iron ore
Cuts down the emission of greenhouse gases
Additional Science
Chapter 8

4. The consequences of metal extraction
Disadvantages
Advantages
When the ore runs out, the mine workings may be abandoned causing a deterioration of the landscape.
Extraction and processing of minerals creates employment.
Importing metals is very expensive for the country.
Sometimes less useful and toxic metals are found with the ones that are needed.
Important for the economy (Economic boom in the UK during Industrial Revolution).
Additional Science
Fluctuations in the cost of metals can affect the economy.
Chapter 8
Processing minerals have a detrimental effect on the environment.
A lot of electricity is needed to produce aluminium.
Many minerals are sulphides – produce sulphur dioxide (the gas that causes acid rain).