Extractive metallurgy develops processes for separating useful metals from ores and refining them to a required purity. A process may combine physical concentration, high-temperature reactions, dissolution and electrochemical recovery. The appropriate route depends on the mineral's chemical composition, the metal's reactivity and the fate of unwanted constituents.
For iron extraction, an iron oxide must lose oxygen. In a simplified reaction, , carbon monoxide is the reducing agent. Separating the resulting iron from slag and controlling remaining impurities are further tasks. Extraction is therefore a sequence of reaction and separation steps, rather than just melting the original rock.[ref]
Steel Production by the American Iron and Steel Institute. Blast-furnace reduction and pig-iron output
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Extractive metallurgy is a branch of metallurgy that deals with the extraction of metals from their ores and the subsequent processing of those metals to achieve a pure or usable form. This field encompasses various processes and techniques to separate metals from their naturally occurring minerals and compounds, making it a key component in the production of metals used in many applications.