IRON

It is about 21% of total metal of earth’s crust and 6.2%

of total elements. It belongs to transition group of the
periodic table. Its electronic configuration is 2,8,8,6,2.

1)Important
1)Important ores of iron
(i) Haematite Fe2O3
(ii) Magnetite Fe3O4
(iii) Limonite Fe2O3,3H2O
(iv) Iron pyrites FeS2
(v) Sidrite FeCO3
2) Extraction of iron:- Cast iron is
extracted from haematite. It involves following steps:

(i) Concentration of ore:- First

of all ore is crushed into minute particles and the
crushed ore is concentrated by gravity separation
method.
(ii) Calcination:- Concentrated ore is
calcinated in a furnace. During calcinations moisture
is removed. Impurities like Sulphur changes into
sulphur dioxide and Arsenic into arsenic oxide
(AS2O3) phosphorus to phosphorus oxide (P4O10), all
escape out in the form of gases.

(iii) Smelting:- Iron oxide is reduced with

carbon. Process of smelting is done in blast furnace.
Calcinated iron oxide is added in blast furnace
along with coke. Coke serves as fuel as well as
reducing agent. Lime is also added in the blast
furnace which serves as flux. The following reaction
takes place in the furnace.
(a)
At the base of the furnace coke reacts with
oxygen to produce carbon dioxide which moves
up and a lot of heat is produced.
C + O2 CO2
 Coke Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
As the carbon dioxide moves upward it is brought in
contact with coke and get converted into carbon
monoxide.
CO2 + C
2CO
Carbon dioxide Coke
Carbon Mono-oxide
At this zone temperature is 1475-1575 K.
In the middle of the furnace temperature is
(b)

1075 to 1275 K. In this region calcium

carbonate decomposes to produce calcium oxide
& carbon dioxide. Calcium oxide so produced
combines with silica to form slag.
CaCO3 CaO
+ CO2
Calcium carbonate Calcium oxide
Carbon dioxide
CaO + SiO2
CaSiO3
Calcium oxide Silica
Calcium silicate (slag)
(c)
At the top portion of furnace the Iron oxide
react with carbon monoxide to give liquid iron
which moves towards the button of furnace &
settled there. This iron is called Cast iron.

Fe2O3 + 3CO Fe
+ CO2
Ferric oxide Carbon Iron
Carbon
Monoxide
dioxide
 PREPARED BY:-
Megha Arora
Ravina Chawla

GUIDED BY:-
Smt. Asha Rani
Govt. Girls Sec. School, Putlighar, ASR.