Obtaining metals

In general, the metals are obtained from the transformation of minerals such as, for example, the rocks. Other metals can be found in nature in its pure State (gold, silver, bronze,...), these are called native metals.

Obtaining metals are divided into three stages: 

extraction: consists in extracting minerals which form part of the rocks of the Earth's crust of the deposits. These rocks can be found in the form of bags, strata or reefs. There are two types of mines: mines open pit and underground mines.Technological activity that takes care of extracting the minerals to obtain the metal is called mining.

Obtaining: once the minerals have been extracted from the mines, are crushed and then cleaned. Get the metal must follow the following steps:

• concentracion of ore: is, for example, to grind and wash the ore.

• Reduction in a furnace: is to melt the subtraction facts to separate metal from chemical elements it contains.

• Tuning: It consists of removing impurities that have been able to be produced by the previous procedures.

Transformation: once obtained these metallurgical products, are transformed into industries that work the metal to turn it into useful materials to create useful for everyday objects.

Mine underground:

Open pit-mine:

The properties of the metal

The metals are chemical elements that are obtained from metallic minerals and are solid to temperature ambience (except the mercury). This type of material has a big importance in the industry, since it is very useful. 

The properties of the metal: 

Thickness: There is a big thickness difference according to the type of metal. The high thickness of a lot of metals it stems from the crystalline layer that has the metallic structure. 

Conductivity: The value of the thermal and electrical conductivity is usually very high. 

Melting point: It is the temperature in which an element goes on from the solid state to liquid. The tin is the metal with the lowest melting point (232°C). 

Determination: In general, the metals are resistant to the impacts and blows. 

Elasticity: The metals do not recover the initial form as soon as an effort was done. 

Hardness: The hardness changes very much according to the type of metal. There is of soft like the lead and five-peseta coins like the tungsté.

Tungsté:

Lead: