Steps involved in the extraction of metals from their ores : 

Ores 

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Powdering of ore 

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Concentration of ore

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Conversion of ore into metal oxide 

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Reduction of metal oxide into metal (Crude metal is obtained)

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Refining

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Pure metal

(1) Powdering of ores - Ores are broken into small pieces with the help of crushers. These pieces are then reduced to fine powder with the help of a ball mill or a stamp mill. 

(2) Concentration of ore- The process of removal of unwanted impurities (gangue) from the ore is called ore concentration. It can be done by hydraulic washing, Magnetic separation, Froth floatation leaching. 

(3) Conversion of ore into metal oxide : It can be done by two process (i) Calcination (for carbonate ores) (ii) Roasting (sulphide ores) 

(4) Reduction of metal oxide into metal :This process depends upon the nature and chemical reactivity of metal. 

(i) For low reactive metal : self reduction process 

(ii) For middle reactive metal : (a) Carbon reduction (b) Reduction with CO (c) Reduction with aluminium 

(iii) For high reactive metal : Electrolytic reduction 

(5) Refining of impure metal 

(i) Distillation refining : for refining volatile metals e.g. Zn, Hg 

(ii) Liquation : For refining low m.p. metals e.g. lead, tin 

(iii) Electrolytic refining : For metals like, e.g. Cu, Al etc.