metallothermic reaction

chemistry

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June 30, 2026

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A metallothermic reaction is a type of chemical reaction where a metal is used as a reducing agent to extract another metal from its compound. This process is a key part of extractive metallurgy, which focuses on separating and refining metals from their ores.123

In these reactions, the metal used as the reducing agent has a stronger affinity for the oxygen or other elements in the compound than the metal being extracted. For example, in smelting, a reducing agent like carbon is often used to remove oxygen from metal oxides, leaving the pure metal behind. These reactions can either release energy (exothermic) or require energy input (endothermic).234

While pyrometallurgy uses heat and reducing agents like carbon, other methods like hydrometallurgy (using solvents) and electrolytic processes (using electric currents) are also employed in metallurgy.253

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molybdenum processing
Ferromolybdenum
…be produced by either a metallothermic process or a carbon-reduction process in electric furnaces. Because the latter process has the inherent disadvantage of introducing a high carbon content into the FeMo alloy, the thermic process, in which aluminum and silicon metals are used for the reduction of a charge consisting…
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…be produced by either a metallothermic process or a carbon-reduction process in electric furnaces. Because the latter process has the inherent disadvantage of introducing a high carbon content into the FeMo alloy, the thermic process, in which aluminum and silicon metals are used for the reduction of a charge consisting…
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rare-earth element
Preparation of samarium, europium, thulium, and ytterbium: lanthanothermic process
…to prepare them by the metallothermic or electrolytic methods. Samarium and thulium also have low boiling points, compared with the other lanthanide metals and also scandium and yttrium. The four metals with high vapour pressures are prepared by mixing R₂O₃ (R = samarium, europium, thulium, and ytterbium) with fine chips…
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…to prepare them by the metallothermic or electrolytic methods. Samarium and thulium also have low boiling points, compared with the other lanthanide metals and also scandium and yttrium. The four metals with high vapour pressures are prepared by mixing R₂O₃ (R = samarium, europium, thulium, and ytterbium) with fine chips…
Read More