Cinnabar is Not a Spice: The Ores

The Hook: Metals don't grow on trees. They are trapped inside rocks called Ores.
The most common CGL question is a simple match: "Which metal is extracted from this ore?". If you don't memorize them, you lose 2 marks.

[Image of flow chart showing process from ore to metal]

1. The Big Three: Iron, Aluminium, Copper

IRON (Fe) 🧲

Hematite Fe₂O₃ ⬇️ Magnetite Fe₃O₄

Note: Magnetite is the finest quality ore with up to 70% iron.

ALUMINIUM (Al) ✈️

Bauxite Al₂O₃·2H₂O ⬇️ Cryolite Na₃AlF₆

Bauxite is the primary ore.

COPPER (Cu) 🥉

Copper Pyrites CuFeS₂ ⬇️ Malachite CuCO₃·Cu(OH)₂

Pyrites is also known as "Fool's Gold".

2. The "Tricky Name" Ores

These are the ones examiners love because their names give no clue about the metal inside.

MERCURY (Hg) 🌡️

Cinnabar HgS

Bright red ore. The only liquid metal at room temp.

LEAD (Pb) 🔋

Galena PbS

Used in batteries.

URANIUM (U) ☢️

Pitchblende U₃O₈

Radioactive. Used in nuclear reactors.

3. The Alloy Trap (Bonus Topic)

Sometimes they ask what a metal is mixed with. Remember the "German Silver" trap (0% Silver).

Alloy	Composition	Use
Brass	Copper (Cu) + Zinc (Zn)	Utensils, Musical instruments.
Bronze	Copper (Cu) + Tin (Sn)	Statues, Medals.
German Silver	Cu + Zn + Nickel (Ni)	Utensils. (NO SILVER!)
Solder	Lead (Pb) + Tin (Sn)	Joining electrical wires.
Stainless Steel	Iron + Chromium + Nickel	Cutlery, Surgical tools (Does not rust).

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Revision Flashcards

Bauxite

Is an ore of?

Aluminium

It is the primary source of aluminium metal.

Galena

Chemical Name?

Lead Sulfide (PbS)

It is the most important ore of Lead.

German Silver

Percentage of Silver?

0%

It is an alloy of Copper, Zinc, and Nickel. It's just named for its silver appearance.

Pitchblende

Is an ore of?

Uranium

It is a radioactive, uranium-rich mineral.

Exam-Style MCQs

Q1. Cinnabar is an ore/mineral of which of the following metals?

A) Lead

B) Mercury

Correct! (HgS). It is the most common source of mercury.

C) Copper

Q2. Which among the following is an ore of Iron?

A) Bauxite

B) Magnetite

Correct! Along with Hematite, it is a major iron ore.

C) Malachite

Q3. Bronze is an alloy of Copper and ____.

A) Zinc

B) Tin

Correct! (Cu + Sn). Whereas Brass is Copper + Zinc.

C) Nickel

Part of the CGL Chemistry Series.