Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Barium (Ba, atomic number 56).**
Barium is an **alkaline earth metal** that occurs primarily in **barite (BaSO₄)** and **witherite (BaCO₃)**. Industrial extraction involves **conversion to soluble salts, reduction, and electrolysis**.
Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Barium**:
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# **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Barium**
### **A. Extraction from Barium Ores**
1. **Crushing and Grinding of Barite (BaSO₄)** – Prepares ore for chemical treatment.
2. **Conversion of Barite to Barium Sulfide (BaSO₄ → BaS)** – Roasting with carbon or coke.
3. **Leaching of BaS with Water** – Produces soluble barium hydroxide or carbonate.
4. **Acid Treatment (HCl/H₂SO₄) of BaCO₃ or BaS** – Produces soluble Ba²⁺ salts.
5. **Purification via Precipitation of Insoluble Impurities** – Removes sulfides or metal oxides.
6. **Solvent Extraction of Barium Salts** – Organic extractants for high-purity separation.
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### **B. Conversion and Reduction to Metallic Barium**
7. **Precipitation as Barium Carbonate (BaCO₃)** – Intermediate purification step.
8. **Reduction of BaCO₃ with Aluminum (Aluminothermic)** – Produces metallic Ba.
9. **Reduction of BaCl₂ with Calcium or Sodium** – Produces metallic barium.
10. **Electrolytic Reduction of Molten BaCl₂** – Industrial-scale metallic barium production.
11. **Hydrogen Reduction of Barium Oxide (BaO → Ba + H₂O)** – Laboratory method.
12. **Vacuum Distillation of Barium Metal** – Purification of metallic Ba.
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### **C. Recovery from Byproducts / Secondary Sources**
13. **Recovery from Lead Refinery Slags** – Minor barium byproduct.
14. **Recovery from Sulfide Ore Processing Residues** – Hydrometallurgical extraction.
15. **Recovery from Coal Fly Ash** – Leaching of Ba²⁺ from ash.
16. **Recovery from Recycled Alloys or Electronics** – Chemical dissolution of barium-containing materials.
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### **D. Laboratory / Experimental Methods**
17. **Plasma Reduction of Barium Compounds** – High-purity experimental method.
18. **Solar-Thermal Reduction of BaO or BaCl₂** – Experimental renewable-energy method.
19. **Zone Refining of Metallic Barium** – Produces ultra-high purity Ba.
20. **Electroless Deposition of Barium from Salts** – Produces thin metallic coatings (experimental).
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✅ **Summary:**
* **Main industrial sources:** Barite (BaSO₄), witherite (BaCO₃).
* **Primary extraction steps:** Ore crushing → conversion to soluble salts → purification → reduction or electrolysis → metallic barium.
* **Metallic barium:** Produced via reduction with calcium/aluminum or electrolysis of BaCl₂.
* **Byproduct sources:** Lead refinery slags, sulfide ore residues, coal fly ash, recycled alloys.
* **Laboratory/experimental:** Plasma, solar-thermal, zone refining, electroless deposition.
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Next in periodic order is \*\*Lanthanum (La, atomic number 57).
Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Lanthanum**?
