The sulphide ore of copper are heated in reverberatory furnace. If the ore contains iron, it is mixed with silica $({SiO}_{2})$ before heating. Iron oxide slags off as iron silicate then ${SiO}_{2}$ acts as a :

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reducing agent

flux

none of these

oxidising agent

answer is B.

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Detailed Solution

The sulphide ore of copper is heated in a reverberatory furnace. If the ore contains iron, it is mixed with silica ( ${SiO}_{2}$ ) before heating. Iron oxide slags off as iron silicate then ${SiO}_{2}$ acts as a flux.

Silica flux is used to help remove iron by creating a slag phase during the smelting of copper and copper/nickel concentrates. The production of magnetite, which may seriously impair a furnace's performance, can instead be controlled by using flux as a technique.

Hence, option B is correct.

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