Question

Matte is a mixture of:
A. $\text{C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{S + FeS (small amount)}$
B. $\text{FeS + C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{S (small amount)}$
C. $\text{C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{O + FeO (small amount)}$
D. $\text{FeO + C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{O (small amount)}$

Answer 1

Hint: Copper pyrite is the ore from which copper is mainly extracted. Copper matte consists of the maximum amount of copper along with other metals in the molten state. The matte is formed by the smelting process. Smelting is a process in the metallurgy in which the metal is heated and melting to extract the metal.

Complete answer:
-Matte is the mixture of the metals sulphide ore here metals can be copper, nickel and lead.
-Matte is formed as an intermediate product in the extraction process of smelting.
-Firstly, the sulphide ore is concentrated with the process froth floatation method in which the sulphur is extracted in the form of foam.
$\text{CuFe}{{\text{S}}_{2}}\text{ }\xrightarrow{\text{Crushing of the ore}}\text{ }\xrightarrow[\text{Froth floatation}]{\text{Concentrated by}}\text{ Concentrated ore }$
-Now, the ore is roasted in the presence of air to remove the impurities such as arsenic, antimony and sulphur.
$\text{Concentrated ore }\xrightarrow{\text{Roasting with }{{\text{O}}_{2}}}\text{ C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{S + FeS}$
-Now, this ore is smelted in the blast furnace, in which the ore is mixed with a little coke and sand.
-While the smelting process, the ferrous oxide combines with sand and cuprous oxide combines with ferrous sulphide and yields ferrous oxide and cuprous sulphide.
$\text{Copper matte = C}{{\text{u}}_{2}}\text{S + FeS (little amount)}$
-Now, the molten mass which is collected from the bottom of the furnace is called the matte which was a mixture of a large amount of cuprous sulphide and the little amount was ferrous sulphide.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Note:
The molten mass formed in the last step is then transferred to the Bessemer converter for the further removal of the impurities such as sulphur, arsenic oxides and ferrous oxides in the form of a slug.