question_answer

  An ore gives carbon dioxide on treatment with a dilute acid. What steps will you take to convert such a concentrated ore into free metal?

Answer:

                  A metal carbonate reacts with a dilute acid to form carbon dioxide. Therefore, this ore is a carbonate ore. Carbonate ore is converted into free metal in the following two steps: (i) Calcination: The carbonate ore is strongly heated in the absence of air to get the metal oxide. Metal carbonate   Metal oxide + Carbon dioxide (ii) Reduction: The metal oxide is reduced with carbon to get free metal. Metal oxide +  Metal + Carbon monoxide