9781422285534

34 Coal

obtaining metals from ore rocks using heat and chemical reduction. In a blast furnace, coke is mixed with iron ore , such as hematite, and limestone, and heated to temperatures of 3,000°F (1,650°C). The coke burns in air to make carbon monoxide gas, and this takes away the oxygen from hematite to leave a form of iron called pig iron, which is the basis of steelmaking and other iron industries. Coke is also a fuel in smelting plants for copper, silver, and other metals. The anthracite industry in North America is far smaller than the bituminous coal industry, and almost all the anthracite comes from Pennsylvania. Its main uses are in smelting metal ores; as an efficient, almost smokeless fuel for heating; in the electrical industry; and for water filters.

Close view of a blast furnace used in making iron.