Question

Which of the following metal is not extracted by leaching?
A. Aluminum
B. Mercury
C. Silver
D. Gold

Answer 1

Hint: Leaching is the process in which solute gets extracted or generally said detached from its carrier substance with the help of the solvent. It is a naturally occurring process which can occur naturally seen from plant substances.

Complete Solution :
Generally all elements classified into three types: Metals, Nonmetals and metalloids. Metals are those elements which satisfy the following properties:
1. These are metallic in nature.
2. Malleable and ductile in nature.
3. Sonorous in nature.
4. Good conductor of heat and electricity.
5. Metals are closely packed and exist as solid.

- Leaching process generally describes the release of organic and inorganic contaminants or radionuclides from a solid phase into a water phase when these are gone through the processes known as desorption, complexation and mineral dissolution. It is done when the ores present are soluble as suitable solvent i.e. acids, bases and some chemical reagents while the gangue particles are insoluble. Solvents are those in which solute particles get dissolved. The process leaching is generally used for the extraction of aluminum ore, silver ore, gold ore and low grade copper ores too. But mercury as we all know is soluble at room temperature so it can go through the process of leaching.
So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note: The Leaching Process is a described as the universal process as in this process Water will leach the components of any material which comes in contact with it from its surface or the interior of the material.