Concentration Of Ores
Chapter Name : General Principles And Processes Of Isolation Of Elements |
Sub Topic Code : 102_12_06_03_04 |
Topic Name : Concentration Of Ores |
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Sub Topic Name : Leaching |
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Introduction
We discuss the conditions and method for the leaching of alumina from bauxite, and gold and silver from their respective ores.
Pre-Requisites:
Neutralization, Ionic Reaction, Displacement.
Activity:
The precious gold jewelry and silver anklets that are so treasured, all come from impure gold or silver ores, through the leaching process.
Real Life Question:
How do we produce pure gold from the gold ore, containing impurities, to use in precious gold jewelry?
Key Words / FlashCards
| Key Words | Definitions (pref. in our own words) |
|---|---|
| Leaching | A method of concentration of ore in which leaching agents are used to displace the mineral required from the impure ore. |
Learning aids / Gadgets
| Gadgets | How it can be used |
|---|---|
| Flash cards | To remember the equations involved. |
| Videos | To understand the mechanism of the process involved. |
Real life uses :
A lot of the daily objects we use, from gold jewelry to silver puja items to the wrapping paper in chocolate, exist in this form only because of the leaching process that is used to concentrate the ore in which they were found.
Places to visit :
Look at the aluminium foil your school tiffin is wrapped in. It is made from a pure form of aluminium that is derived from bauxite ore. But how? This is only possible because of the leaching process, which gives us a way to process the crude ore.
Practical examples around us
| Examples | Explainations |
|---|---|
| Chocolate wrappers | They are made from a pure form of aluminium, which in turn is derived from bauxite through a process called leaching. |
| Gold jewelry | This is derived from impure gold ore through leaching, where zinc is used to displace the pure gold from its ore. |
What you learn in Theory:
The metallurgical processes involved in leaching along with the pertinent equations and chemicals involved.
What you learn in Practice:
How we derive some of our most valuable substances (such as gold) from their ores through simple chemical processes.