Question

The chemical formula of copper pyrites is:
A.${\text{CuFe}}{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}}}$
B.${\text{C}}{{\text{u}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{S}}$
C.${\text{C}}{{\text{u}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{O}}$
D.${\text{CuC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}{\text{.Cu}}{\left( {{\text{OH}}} \right)_{\text{2}}}$

Answer 1

Hint:The word “pyrite” is derived from a Greek word which means “stone or mineral that strikes fire, in turn from “pyr” which means fire in Greek. It includes sulphide ions.

Complete step by step answer:
Pyrite is the common name of the mineral “Iron Pyrites” which has a chemical formula is ${\text{Fe}}{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}}}$. It is also known by the name “Fool’s Gold”. There are certain elements in the periodic table that prefer to react with oxygen and form minerals with the oxide formula while there are certain other minerals that react with sulphur. Such elements are called chalcogenides which include copper, nickel, arsenic, tin, antimony, lead, etc. the major minerals to these elements include the sulphides only.
The Copper pyrites is one such mineral of the copper in which the copper ions combine with the pyrites to form ${\text{CuFe}}{{\text{S}}_{\text{2}}}$. The other term for this copper pyrite is the chalcopyrite.

Hence, the correct option is A.

Note:
${\text{C}}{{\text{u}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{S}}$ is known as chalcocite, ${\text{C}}{{\text{u}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{O}}$ is called cuprite, and ${\text{CuC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}{\text{.Cu}}{\left( {{\text{OH}}} \right)_{\text{2}}}$ is called malachite. These are the different ores of copper from which copper is extracted. The main ore of copper is copper pyrites. The copper pyrites are roasted in presence of oxygen to form cuprite or cuprous oxide. This is purified by the froth floatation process and it is subjected to smelting in the blast furnace in the presence of silica and coke. The matte copper is then charged into a silica line blast furnace to obtain blister copper and this is then refined to get pure copper.