Extractive metallurgy
Extractive metallurgy is the practice of extracting metal from ore, purifying it, and recycling it.
Most metals found in the earth's crust exist in oxide compounds. Metal-oxide compounds must be reduced to liberate the desired metal. There are two methods of reduction: electrolytic and chemical.
Chemical reduction or smelting is the process of heating the ore with combustion agents and purifying agents to seperate the pure metal from the waste products.
Electrolytic reduction involves passing a large current through a molten metal oxide or molten metal oxide solution. This is how aluminum is electrolysed from bauxite dissolved in molten cryolite.
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