How iron is made animation | Karthi Explains

Summary

This video explains how iron is made from iron ore through various processes, focusing on the extraction, refining, and manufacturing stages. Iron ore, primarily found as iron oxides like magnetite and hematite, is extracted through open-pit mining. It is then refined to remove impurities using methods like washing, magnetic separation, and pelletizing. The refined ore is combined with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, where it undergoes a series of chemical reactions to produce pig iron. The iron is then separated from slag, ready for further alloying or casting. The process highlights the essential steps in turning raw ore into usable iron.

Takeaways

• 😀 Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, but it's found in ore form, not as a usable metal.
• 😀 Iron ore is a mixture of iron, oxygen, and other elements, along with sand and clays that need to be separated to obtain usable iron.
• 😀 The most common method of producing iron is using a blast furnace to create pig iron, which contains 92-94% iron and 3-5% carbon.
• 😀 Pig iron is primarily used in steel production, with small amounts of other elements involved.
• 😀 The raw materials for making pig iron include iron ore, coke, and limestone, each playing a vital role in the process.
• 😀 Iron ores mainly consist of iron oxides such as magnetite, hematite, and limonite, with iron content ranging from 20% to 70%.
• 😀 Coke is a substance created by heating coal to almost pure carbon, while limestone naturally contains calcium carbonate.
• 😀 Iron ore must undergo extraction and refining before being used in a blast furnace, often through open pit mining.
• 😀 After mining, iron ore is crushed, sorted, and refined using processes like washing, magnetic separation, and sintering.
• 😀 The blast furnace process involves combining iron ore, coke, and limestone, with hot air blown through the furnace to produce carbon monoxide, which then separates the iron from impurities to form molten iron and slag.

Q & A

What is iron and how is it typically found on Earth?

Iron is a metallic element and the fourth most widely distributed element in Earth's crust. It is usually found as iron ore, a mixture of iron, oxygen, and other elements, often mixed with sand and clay.

What is the most common process used to produce iron?

The most common process used to produce iron is the use of a blast furnace to create pig iron, which is about 92-94% iron and contains 3-5% carbon.

What raw materials are required to produce pig iron in a blast furnace?

The raw materials required to produce pig iron are iron ore, coke, and limestone. Iron ore is mostly iron oxides, coke is nearly pure carbon, and limestone is a source of calcium carbonate.

What types of iron ore are used in iron production?

The types of iron ore used in iron production include magnetite, hematite, and laminite, among others. The iron content of these ores ranges from 70% to as low as 20%.

What is coke and how is it produced?

Coke is a substance produced by heating coal until it becomes almost pure carbon. It is used as a fuel and reducing agent in the blast furnace process.

What role does limestone play in the blast furnace?

Limestone plays a critical role in the blast furnace by combining with impurities in the ore to form slag. The slag is lighter than iron and floats on top of the molten iron.

How is iron ore extracted before it can be processed in a blast furnace?

Iron ore is typically extracted through open-pit mining, where heavy machinery is used to remove the surface of the ground. The ore is then crushed and sorted for further refinement.

What methods are used to refine iron ore before it enters the blast furnace?

Iron ore is refined through methods such as crushing, washing with water to remove sand and clay, magnetic separation, pelletizing, and sintering to improve the quality of the ore.

What happens inside a blast furnace during the iron-making process?

Inside a blast furnace, iron ore, coke, and limestone are blended and heated. The coke burns in hot air, producing carbon monoxide, which reacts with the iron ore to produce carbon dioxide and pure iron. The impurities form slag, which floats on top of the iron.

What are the by-products of the blast furnace process, and how are they handled?

The by-products of the blast furnace process include slag, which is removed for disposal, and hot gases, which are collected and sent to a gas cleaning plant for further processing.