Hematite

Summary: Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is the main ore of iron. It is a reddish-brown iron oxide mineral extracted from the ground and reduced in the blast furnace using carbon monoxide to produce molten iron. Tags: igcse chemistry definition metals extraction Created: 2026-07-14 Last Updated: 2026-07-23

Hematite is a mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) and the primary ore from which iron is commercially extracted. It is reddish-brown to black in colour and is the raw material fed into the blast furnace.

Role in the Blast Furnace

Hematite is the source of iron in the extraction process:

1. Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is added at the top of the blast furnace along with coke (C) and limestone (CaCO₃)
2. Hot air is blasted in from the bottom
3. Carbon monoxide (CO) — produced from coke — rises through the furnace
4. CO reduces the iron(III) oxide to molten iron:

Fe₂O₃(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO₂(g)

5. Molten iron drips to the bottom and is tapped off

Why Hematite Needs Reduction

Iron is below carbon in the reactivity series, so carbon (in the form of CO) can act as a reducing agent. The iron(III) oxide is reduced — the Fe³⁺ ions gain electrons to become Fe atoms:

Fe³⁺ + 3e⁻ → Fe (reduction)

Meanwhile, CO is oxidised to CO₂:

CO → CO₂ + 2e⁻ (oxidation)

Key Facts

• Hematite = Fe₂O₃ (iron(III) oxide)
• The main ore of iron used in the blast furnace
• Reduced by carbon monoxide to produce molten iron
• The reaction: Fe₂O₃ + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO₂
• Iron is extracted by reduction with carbon (not electrolysis) because iron is below carbon in the reactivity series

See Also

• Blast Furnace
• Metal Extraction
• Coke
• Limestone
• Slag
• IGCSE-Chem-Index

This is a key term definition page — part of the IGCSE Chemistry (0620/0971) keyword glossary.