Talk:Minerals

To get the iron from hematite it is usually smelted with carbon. The iron-oxygen bond is strong in hematite so a stronger bond must be presented to remove the oxygen. The trick is to mix the ore with powdered coke, then smelt them while keeping the oxygen infusion low enough that you have a 1 to 1 mol ratio of carbon and oxygen. This produces CO, which then strips an additional oxygen atom from any iron ores present. The result is CO₂ and reduced ore. Continue reducing until you have iron and CO₂. It's the tried and true method of ancient iron production. Nowadays we call it fancy names like "carbothermal reduction." - Jarogers2001 00:55, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

A bloomery is about as low tech as you can get. - Jarogers2001 01:16, 19 November 2008 (UTC)