Question

Identify the reaction that doesn’t take place during the smelting process of copper extraction.
A. $2FeS+3{{O}_{2}}\to FeO+2S{{O}_{2}}$
B. $C{{u}_{2}}O+FeS\to C{{u}_{2}}S+FeO$
C. $2C{{u}_{2}}S+3{{O}_{2}}\to 2C{{u}_{2}}O+2S{{O}_{2}}$
D. $FeO+Si{{O}_{2}}\to FeSi{{O}_{3}}$

Answer 1

Hint: Smelting is a process used to extract base metal from impure metal. Smelting is used to separate different metals like silver, copper, and iron from their ores. In the smelting process heat is applied to extract the pure metals.

Complete step by step solution:
- In the question it is asked to identify the chemical reaction which doesn’t take place during the smelting process in copper extraction.
- To find out the chemical reaction which does not occur during the smelting process of copper extraction we have to discuss the step involved in the smelting process.
- The steps involved in the smelting process to extract copper are as follows.
- In the first step sulphide ore of copper is heated in the presence of air until it’s converted to oxide and we have to heat in the absence of air.
- The chemical reaction of the first step is as follows.
\[2C{{u}_{2}}S+3{{O}_{2}}\to 2C{{u}_{2}}O+2S{{O}_{2}}\]
\[C{{u}_{2}}O+FeS\to C{{u}_{2}}S+FeO\]
- In the second step the formed ferrous oxide is going to flux with silicon dioxide and we will get a slag with chemical composition of $FeSi{{O}_{3}}$ . The chemical reaction is as follows.
\[FeO+Si{{O}_{2}}\to FeSi{{O}_{3}}\]
- Therefore the chemical reaction which is not involved in smelting process in copper extraction process is $2FeS+3{{O}_{2}}\to FeO+2S{{O}_{2}}$ .

So, the correct option is A.

Note: The reaction $2FeS+3{{O}_{2}}\to FeO+2S{{O}_{2}}$ , is going to occur before starting the smelting process to extract copper from its ore. This step is called roasting. Heating of FeS with oxygen to generate ferrous oxide .