Question

List the important ores of iron. Briefly discuss the extraction of iron from haematite.

Accepted Answer

The ores from which iron can be extracted easily, economically are as follows - (1)Haematite Fe₂O₃ (2) Magnetite Fe₃O4 (3)Iron Pyrites FeS_{2 .}The extraction of iron is done in Blast furnace.The charge contains hematite ore, coke and limestone.In this process, hot air is blown from the bottom of the furnace, and coke is burnt to raise the temperature up to 2200 K in the lower portion itself.The temperature is lower in the upper part. Thus, it is the lower part where the reduction of iron oxides $({Fe}_{2} O_{3} and {Fe}_{3} O_{4})$ takes place. The reactions taking place in the lower temperature range $(500 - 800 K)$ in the blast furnace are:

$3 {Fe}_{2} O_{3} + CO \to 2 {Fe}_{3} O_{4} + {CO}_{2}$

${Fe}_{3} O_{4} + 4 CO \to 3 Fe O + 4 {CO}_{2}$

The reactions taking place in the higher temperature range $(900 - 1500 K)$ in the blast furnace are:

$C + O_{2} \to {CO}_{2}$

$FeO + CO \to Fe + {CO}_{2}$

The silicate impurity of the ore is removed as slag by calcium oxide ( $C a O$ ), which is formed by the decomposition of limestone $(CaCO 3) .$

${CaCO}_{3} \to CaO + {CO}_{2}$

$CaO + {SiO}_{2} \to {CaSiO}_{3}$

List the important ores of iron. Briefly discuss the extraction of iron from haematite.

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