Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Antimony (Sb, atomic number 51).**
Antimony is a **metalloid** that occurs naturally mainly as **stibnite (Sb₂S₃)**. Industrial extraction involves **roasting, leaching, and reduction** to produce metallic antimony.
Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Antimony**:
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# **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Antimony**
### **A. Extraction from Antimony Ores**
1. **Gravity Concentration of Stibnite (Sb₂S₃)** – Separates dense antimony sulfide from gangue.
2. **Flotation of Stibnite** – Concentrates fine-grained Sb₂S₃ ores.
3. **Roasting of Sb₂S₃ → Sb₂O₃ + SO₂** – Converts sulfide to oxide.
4. **Leaching of Sb₂O₃ with HCl or NaOH** – Produces soluble antimony salts.
5. **Purification by Precipitation** – Removes impurities like arsenic, lead, and iron.
6. **Solvent Extraction of Antimony Salts** – Organophosphorus extractants used for purification.
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### **B. Reduction to Metallic Antimony**
7. **Reduction of Sb₂O₃ with Carbon (Carbothermic Reduction)** – Sb₂O₃ + 3 C → 2 Sb + 3 CO.
8. **Reduction of Sb₂O₃ with Iron or Zinc** – Laboratory or small-scale method.
9. **Electrolytic Reduction of Sb Salts** – Produces high-purity metallic Sb.
10. **Aluminothermic Reduction of Sb₂O₃ → Sb + Al₂O₃** – Lab or specialty method.
11. **Hydrogen Reduction of Sb₂O₃ → Sb + H₂O** – Laboratory-scale method.
12. **Vacuum Distillation of Metallic Antimony** – Purification for high-purity Sb.
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### **C. Recovery from Byproducts / Secondary Sources**
13. **Recovery from Lead Refinery Slags** – Sb as a minor byproduct.
14. **Recovery from Copper and Tin Refinery Residues** – Acid leaching and reduction.
15. **Recovery from Spent Alloys Containing Sb** – Melting and separation.
16. **Recovery from Recycled Batteries or Electronics** – Chemical leaching + precipitation.
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### **D. Laboratory / Experimental Methods**
17. **Plasma Reduction of Sb₂O₃ or Sb Chlorides** – High-purity experimental method.
18. **Solar-Thermal Reduction of Antimony Oxides or Halides** – Experimental renewable energy method.
19. **Zone Refining of Metallic Antimony** – Produces ultra-high purity Sb.
20. **Electroless Deposition of Antimony from Salts** – Produces thin metallic coatings.
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✅ **Summary:**
* **Main industrial sources:** Stibnite (Sb₂S₃).
* **Primary extraction steps:** Ore concentration → roasting → leaching/purification → reduction → metallic antimony.
* **Metallic antimony:** Produced via carbothermic, metallothermic, or electrolytic reduction.
* **Byproduct sources:** Lead, copper, tin refining residues, spent alloys, recycled electronics.
* **Laboratory/experimental:** Plasma, solar-thermal, zone refining, electroless deposition.
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Next in periodic order is \*\*Tellurium (Te, atomic number 52).
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