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Extraction of Iron
Chemistry Group 5 (2 Science 2)

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Tableto
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Contents

oHistorical Background oAlloys Of Iron

oIsotopes Of Iron oStages In The
oPhysical Properties Extraction And
oChemical Properties Relevant Examples
oOres Of Iron And The oRefining Pig Iron
Impurities oEnvironmental Impact
o Location Of Ores In oUses Of Iron
Ghana
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Historical Background
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Master title Iron Extraction

• Archaeologists believe that iron was discovered by the Hittites of

ancient Egypt somewhere between 5000 and 3000 BC. Evidence has
also shown that in ancient Mesopotamia, which is now modern day
Iraq, people were smelting iron around 7000 years ago in 5,000
BC .The discovery of iron was a significant milestone in Ancient
Britain that occurred around 800BC.
• Ancient Britain learnt how to extract iron from ores and forge it into
tools and weapons, replacing bronze. This is because iron unlike
bronze was a lot more durable and readily available in Britain’s soil.
The Romans Invaded Britain in AD 43 and strongly influenced how
iron was used in Britain, introducing advanced ironworking techniques
to improve iron production efficiency.
• The “ iron” was originated from the word “iren” in Anglo-Saxon. Some
linguistics speculated that the word iron was derived from Etruscan
aisar, meaning the “gods”. The symbol “Fe” was taken from the Latin3 3
word ferrum meaning “holy metal” which was used to prepare the
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Isotopes Master title style
Of Iron
• Iron has four stable isotopes, 54 Fe,56 Fe,57 Fe,58Fe that comprise, respectively
5.845%, 91.754%,2.119% and 0.286%of naturally occurring iron. There is also Fe
60

which is produced from pre-existing stable iron isotopes by a process called

“neutron capture” .
• In massive stars , the stable nucleus Iron -58 captures a neutron to form Iron-59,
which then either captures another neutron to produce Iron-60 or beta-decays to
Cobalt -59. Therefore, the beta-decay rate of Iron-59 determines the yield of Iron-
60. 54Fe is used for the production of radioactive Fe-55 which in turn is used as an
electron capture detector and in X-ray fluorescence. 56 Fe is used for low level
neutron flux detection and neutron spectra measurement.
• 57
Fe additionally has special application in the research to develop successful
interventions for anaemia, conditions for effective iron absorption and excretion
etc. 58Fe is used to metabolically track Iron- controlling human genes and for
tracing elements in nature. 59Fe is used in biomedical research including in vitro
and in Vivo analyses of the cell and systematic metabolism in human health and
diseases.
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Physical Master of
Properties title style
Iron.

o It is a heavy metal with density of7.9 g/cc.

o It is a lustrous metal and greyish white in colour.
o It is highly malleable and ductile.
o It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
o It can be magnetised.
o It melts at 1536 degrees Celsius and boils at 2861 degrees
Celsius.
o It dissolves readily in dilute acids.
o It rusts in damp air but not dry air.

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Chemical Master title style
Properties

Group 8 Melting point 1536 °C

Period 4 Boiling point 2861 °C

Block d Density (g cm−3) 7.8 g.cm-3 at 20°C

Atomic number 26 Relative atomic 55.845

mass
State at 20°C Solid Key isotopes 56
Fe

Electron [Ar] 3d64s2 CAS number 7439-89-6

configuration
ChemSpider ID 22368
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Ores Of Iron Master
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And The Location Of Ores In Ghana

• To extract iron, the process typically involves the

reduction of iron oxides. Iron ores are rocks and
minerals from which metallic iron can be extracted
economically. In Ghana, iron ores are mainly found in
the western and northern parts of the country. The
main ores of iron in Ghana include hematite and
magnetite. These ores are often associated with
impurities like silica, alumina, and phosphorus, which
need to be removed during the extraction process to
obtain pure iron.
•Iron ores in Ghana are primarily located in the western
and northern regions of the country. Some key areas
where iron ores can be found include places like
Shama, Tarkwa, Prestea, Damango, and Nsuta in the
western region, as well as places like Pwalugu and
Bole in the northern region of Ghana. These locations
are known for their iron ore deposits, which are
essential for the extraction and processing of iron.
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Alloystoofedit
IronMaster title style
Iron alloys are mixtures of iron with other elements to improve their properties. Some common examples
of iron alloys include

Steel: Steel is primarily made of iron and carbon. The amount of carbon in steel can vary, affecting its
strength and hardness. Other elements like manganese, chromium, and nickel are often added to steel
to enhance specific properties.
Stainless Steel: This alloy contains iron, chromium, nickel, and sometimes other elements like
molybdenum. Stainless steel is known for its corrosion resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of
applications, including kitchen appliances and medical instruments.
Cast Iron: Cast iron is made of iron, carbon, and silicon. It has a higher carbon content than steel, which
makes it more brittle but also more resistant to wear and deformation. Cast iron is commonly used in
cooking utensils and engine blocks.
Wrought Iron: Wrought iron is primarily made of iron with a very low carbon content. It is known for its
malleability and corrosion resistance. Wrought iron was historically used for decorative purposes and in
the construction of buildings.
Alloy Steel: Alloy steel is a broad category of iron alloys that contain elements like manganese,
chromium, nickel, and vanadium in varying proportions. These alloys are designed to have specific
properties such as increased strength, toughness, and wear resistance.
Tool Steel: Tool steel is a type of alloy steel that is specifically designed for making tools. It contains
elements like tungsten, molybdenum, and vanadium to enhance hardness, heat resistance, and wear
resistance.

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Extraction of Iron
The extraction of iron involves several stages in the process. Here are the typical stages
in the extraction of iron from its ore, which is mainly iron oxide (Fe2O3):
o Mining: The first stage involves the excavation of iron ore from the earth's crust. Iron ore
is usually found in the form of hematite (Fe2O3) or magnetite (Fe3O4).
o Crushing and Grinding: The mined iron ore is crushed into small pieces and then ground
to a fine powder. This increases the surface area for the subsequent chemical reactions.
o Magnetic Separation: In this stage, magnetic separators are used to separate the iron
ore from other minerals in the ore mixture based on magnetic properties. This helps in
concentrating the iron ore.
o Smelting: The concentrated iron ore is mixed with limestone (CaCO3) and coke (carbon)
in a blast furnace. The coke acts as a reducing agent, and the limestone helps in the
removal of impurities. The mixture is heated in the blast furnace, where the iron ore is
reduced to iron metal.
o Refining: The iron obtained from the blast furnace is impure and contains carbon, silicon,
and other impurities. The iron is further purified through processes like oxidation and
electrolysis to obtain pure iron.
Example: Hematite is an example of an iron ore used in the extraction of iron. It is a
mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3) and is one of the primary sources of iron ore
worldwide.

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Refining Pig Master
Iron title style

• Traditionally, pig iron was worked into wrought iron in finery forges, later puddling
furnaces, and more recently, into steel. In these processes, pig iron is melted and
a strong current of air is directed over it while it is stirred or agitated. This causes
the dissolved impurities (such as silicon) to be thoroughly oxidized. An
intermediate product of puddling is known as refined pig iron, finers metal,
or refined iron.
• Pig iron can also be used to produce gray iron. This is achieved by remelting pig
iron, often along with substantial quantities of steel and scrap iron, removing
undesirable contaminants, adding alloys, and adjusting the carbon
content. Ductile iron can also be produced using certain high purity grades of pig
iron; depending on the grade of ductile iron being produced, the pig irons chosen
may be low in the elements silicon, manganese, sulfur and phosphorus. High
purity pig iron is used to dilute any elements in a ductile iron charge which may be
harmful to the ductile iron process (except carbon).
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Environmental titleof
Impacts style
Iron Extraction.
• Habitat destruction.
Open-pit mining requires large surface areas and
necessitates the removal of topsoil and vegetation to
access materials that lie underneath. Therefore,
existing biodiversity, such as habitats of animal and
plant species, will be destroyed during the time of
material extraction. Mining impacts highly depend on
existing conditions on-site before an intervention.
• Associated infrastructure.
Because iron mines are frequently located in remote
and ecologically diverse areas, mining requires access
to these sites and the energy infrastructure to support
mining operations. Linear infrastructure such as roads,
power lines, and rail lines can lead to habitat
fragmentation and impacts along their route. Making
these regions more accessible in turn leads to
increased traffic and settlement, with all its associated
impacts on pollution, resource use, and waste.

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Environmental titleof
Impacts style
Iron Extraction.
• Water use.
Ore mining and processing require large quantities of freshwater.
Many mines are located in areas of water stress, exacerbating the
local scarcity even further.
•Contamination and pollution of soil and water.
Large quantities of water can become contaminated with
environmentally harmful tailings being stored in dams, which can
present a severe risk in case of dam failure. Dust and particulate
matter released during mining can have adverse effects on the
respiratory systems of nearby humans and animals.

•Physical disturbances
The actual mine workings, including open pits and waste rock
disposal areas, cause significant physical disturbances at a mine
site. Once a mine closes, mining facilities that occupy a small area
of the disturbed land can either be salvaged or town down. The
main visual and aesthetic impacts of mining are the open pits and
waste rock disposal areas. Open-pit mining disturbs larger areas
than underground mining making the visual impacts much greater.
In addition, the amount of waste rock produced in open pit mines is
typically two to three times the number of ore produced meaning
massive amounts of waste rock are removed from the pits and
deposited in nearby areas.
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Uses to edit Master title style
of Iron
Iron is essential in our daily life as it has a wide
variety of uses.
 Construction: One of the most widely utilized
metals on the planet is iron. It has several uses
in the building sector. It is used to produce
building tools and materials, for example. Metals
were first utilized for ornamentation rather than
for the construction of constructions. However,
the building industry has progressed, and
metals such as iron are now used to
manufacture items such as nails and hinges.
 Making magnets: Iron is used in making
magnets. Iron, often known as magnetite, is a
naturally occurring permanent magnet. Each
atom of neutral iron has four unpaired electrons.
Each electron is a very small magnet, but visible
magnetic qualities need many of such tiny
magnets virtually lined up in the same direction.

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Uses to edit Master title style
of Iron

As a catalyst: Iron catalysts are used in a variety of chemical reactions to enhance or raise the pace of
reaction. Iron is used as a catalyst to speed up the reaction, like in the Haber process. The Haber process
is an industrial process that uses hydrogen and nitrogen as basic ingredients to make ammonia.

Uses in the human body: Iron is a trace element that is required for life. It is essential and must be
obtained from diet. It is engaged in a lot of the body’s metabolic pathways. It is responsible for the transfer
of oxygen as the core atom in hemoglobin (red blood pigment) and myoglobin. It also plays a vital role in
cellular energy supply, DNA synthesis, and infection defense.

Used in making alloys: Iron is used to make alloy steels like carbon steels with additives such as nickel,
chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and manganese. Examples of some alloys include Chromoly, Cast Iron,
Ferrotitanium, Kovar, Celestrium and many others.

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