## Unit 1: Introduction & Fundamentals of Ore Preparation - **1.1 Overview of Extractive Metallurgy** - [[Classification of extractive metallurgical processes]] ([[Pyrometallurgy]], [[Hydrometallurgy]], [[Electrometallurgy]]) - Primary vs. secondary metal extraction (recycling and sustainability) - Mineralogy, ores, concentrates, tailings, [[gangue]] - **1.2 Mineral Processing Basics (Beneficiation)** - Comminution: Crushing, grinding, and liberation - Sizing and screening: Classification, hydrocyclones - Separation techniques: Gravity separation, magnetic/electrostatic separation, and froth flotation ## Unit 2: Thermodynamics & Kinetics of Extractive Reactions - **2.1 Metallurgical Thermodynamics** - Free energy and chemical equilibrium in extraction reactions - Ellingham diagrams: Construction, interpretation, and limits for oxides and sulfides - Predominance area diagrams (Kellogg diagrams) - Phase equilibria and binary/ternary phase diagrams in extractive systems - **2.2 Chemical and Heterogeneous Kinetics** - Reaction rate theories in gas-solid, liquid-liquid, and liquid-solid systems - Shrinking core model and progressive conversion models - Mass transfer, diffusion-controlled vs. reaction-controlled processes ## Unit 3: Pyrometallurgy - **3.1 Unit Operations in Pyrometallurgy** - Drying, calcination, and roasting (oxidizing, sulfating, chloridizing) - Smelting and converting: Principles and furnace technologies (flash smelting, submerged arc) - Refining methods: Fire refining, liquation, distillation, and zone refining - **3.2 Slags, Mattes, and Speiss** - Structure, properties, and role of metallurgical slags - Slag basicity, viscosity, and phase diagrams ($SiO_2-CaO-FeO$) - Matte formation, sulfide thermodynamics, and speiss chemistry ## Unit 4: Hydrometallurgy - **4.1 Leaching Chemistry and Operations** - Leaching agents: Acidic, alkaline, and complexing lixiviants - Leaching mechanisms: Atmospheric, pressure (autoclave), and bio-leaching - Leaching methods: In-situ, heap, dump, vat, and agitation leaching - **4.2 Solution Concentration and Purification** - Solid-liquid separation: Thickening, filtration, and counter-current decantation (CCD) - Solvent Extraction (SX): Extractants, strippers, McCabe-Thiele diagrams, and mixer-settlers - Ion Exchange (IX) and adsorption on activated carbon (CIP/CIL) - Precipitation, cementation, and crystallization ## Unit 5: Electrometallurgy - **5.1 Principles of Aqueous Electrometallurgy** - Electrochemical fundamentals: Nernst equation, overpotential, and Faraday's laws - Electrowinning vs. Electrorefining - Anode/cathode reactions, current efficiency, and energy consumption - **5.2 Molten Salt Electrometallurgy** - Thermodynamics and electrolyte chemistry of molten salts - Decomposition potential and cell design ## Unit 6: Extraction Routes for Specific Metals ### Module A: Ferrous Metallurgy (Iron & Steel) - **Ironmaking:** Blast furnace operations, raw materials (sinter/pellets), and reaction chemistry - **Direct Reduced Iron (DRI):** Gas-based and coal-based DRI processes - **Steelmaking:** Oxygen steelmaking (BOF/LD) and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) primary/secondary refining ### Module B: Major Non-Ferrous Base Metals - **Copper:** Flash smelting, Converting (Peirce-Smith / continuous), electrorefining, and SX-EW route from low-grade oxide ores - **Zinc & Lead:** Roast-Leach-Electrowin (RLE) process for Zinc; Imperial Smelting Process (ISP) and blast furnace for Lead - **Aluminum:** Bayer process (bauxite refining to alumina) and Hall-Héroult process (molten salt electrolysis) ### Module C: Reactive, Refractory & Precious Metals - **Titanium & Zirconium:** Kroll process, chlorination, and magnesium reduction - **Gold & Silver:** Cyanidation, carbon-in-pulp (CIP), and Merrill-Crowe process ## Unit 7: Environmental Metallurgy, Recycling & Future Trends - **7.1 Waste Management & Environmental Impact** - Handling tailings, slag utilization, and red mud disposal/valorization - Gas cleaning, $SO_2$ capture, and sulfuric acid production - **7.2 Secondary Extraction & Urban Mining** - Recycling of electronic waste (e-waste), lithium-ion batteries, and scrap metals - **7.3 Decarbonization & Green Metallurgy** - Hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron ($H_2$-DRI) - Inert anodes in electrolysis and zero-carbon extraction processes