Extracting metals from their ores
2 marks · NormalState the meaning of:
An ore.
A native metal.
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(a) A rock that contains enough of a mineral to make it worthwhile to extract the metal.
(b) A metal found naturally as the uncombined element.
Common mistakes: Describing 'ore' simply as any rock containing metal, instead of one with enough to extract.; Describing 'native' as only unreactive metals, instead of as uncombined elements.
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Marking points
B1 (a) · 1 mark · Correctly defines 'ore' as a rock containing enough mineral for extraction.
B1 (b) · 1 mark · Correctly defines 'native metal' as a metal found uncombined in nature.
Worked solution
a) An ore is a rock that contains enough of a mineral for it to be worthwhile to extract the metal.
b) A native metal is a metal that is found naturally in the Earth's crust as the uncombined element, not as a compound.