Why it is advisable to always reduce the minerals in order to extract metals rom tuem?
Answers
The ore or the mineral usually contain different metals. But the point is that the metals don’t exist in a free state. Usually they exist as an oxides, for example : Bauxite ‒Al2O3 Haematite ‒Fe2O3 Rutile ‒ TiO2 So the simplest thing you can do before extracting the metal is to reduce it or in other words to remove oxygen. For example : titanium is producedby turning titanium dioxide intotitanium(IV) chlorideand reducing itusing a more reactive metal such as sodium or magnesium. Magnaliumis analuminiumalloy with 5%magnesiumand 95%aluminum.This alloy is used in metallurgyas a reduction agent that removes oxygen and sulfurfrom the ores, giving insoluble in water oxides and sulphides, because both metals in the composition are active. Another reason of usage is that both metals and their compounds have low density.