Editing Antimony (section)

===Process===
The extraction of antimony from ores depends on the quality and composition of the ore. Most antimony is mined as the sulfide; lower-grade ores are concentrated by [[froth flotation]], while higher-grade ores are heated to 500–600&nbsp;°C, the temperature at which stibnite melts and separates from the [[gangue]] minerals. Antimony can be isolated from the crude antimony sulfide by reduction with scrap iron:<ref name=usgs2 />
:{{chem2|Sb2S3 + 3 Fe -> 2 Sb + 3 FeS}}

The sulfide is converted to an oxide by roasting. The product is further purified by vaporizing the volatile antimony(III) oxide, which is recovered.<ref name="Ullmann" /> This sublimate is often used directly for the main applications, impurities being arsenic and sulfide.<ref name="Norm">{{harvnb|Norman|1998}}, [{{GBUrl|vVhpurkfeN4C|PA45}} p.&nbsp;45]</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.envpol.2003.10.014|title=Antimony distribution and environmental mobility at an historic antimony smelter site, New Zealand|date=2004|last1=Wilson|first1=N. J.|last2=Craw|first2=D.|last3=Hunter|first3=K.|journal=Environmental Pollution|volume=129|issue=2|pages=257–66|pmid=14987811|bibcode=2004EPoll.129..257W }}</ref> Antimony is isolated from the oxide by a carbothermal reduction:<ref name=usgs2 /><ref name="Norm" />
:{{chem2|2 Sb2O3 + 3 C -> 4 Sb + 3 CO2}}

The lower-grade ores are reduced in [[blast furnace]]s while the higher-grade ores are reduced in [[reverberatory furnace]]s.<ref name=usgs2 />

[[File:World Antimony Production 2010.svg|thumb|upright=1.6|World antimony output in 2010<ref name="usgs" />]]
[[File:Antimony - world production trend.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|World production trend of antimony]]