Extraction of Iron

• Iron is extracted from haematite
• Haematite --> Fe2O3/SiO2 (SiO2 is sand and is an impurity so it makes the Fe weaker)
• To separate a displacement reaction is done using carbon because carbon is more reactive than iron
• 2Fe2O3 + 3C --> 4Fe + CO2 (CO2 affects climate change and causes acid rain)
• C + O2 -- CO2 (releases heat and increases the rate of reaction - provides energy for next reaction)
• C - coal/coke
• CO2 + C -- 2CO (CO is a reducing agent)
• 3CO (g) + Fe2O3 (s) -- 3CO2 + 2Fe (l)
• To remove impurities in the iron, limestone is added and decomposition is used - CaCO3 --> CaO + CO2
• CaO + SiO2 -- CaSiO3 (slag)
• Slag is less dense than iron so it floats above it in the column
• Slag is used for road surfaces