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Matthew Humbert

Matthew Humbert

Metallurgist and materials scientist (MIT MS, Swinburne PhD in extractive metallurgy), Senior Staff Scientist at Sadoway Labs Foundation, and guest expert on ABC's Imagine This kids science podcast.

Sep 22, 2026

Imagine This

Imagine This

How is metal made?

Sep 22 · 15m

NijHOST
4:37
Ah! Like if we break it open, there'll be metal inside?
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:40
Not exactly.
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:42
Noble metals like gold and silver can be found inside rocks as pure metal.
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:47
If you're very lucky, you might find a gold nugget or a vein of silver amongst the rock.
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:52
But iron in rocks is called iron ore.
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:55
This means the iron is mixed with oxygen.
Matthew Humbert
Matthew HumbertGUEST
4:59
Iron ore is what gives the rocks and sand out here this lovely deep red colour.
NijHOST
6:57
How?

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