Question

Metallurgy is the process of
A. Extracting metals from ores
B. Roasting the ore
C. Extracting minerals from the ore.
D. Adding carbon to the ore in blast furnaces.

Answer 1

Out of $117$ elements known so far, noble metals, noble gases, ${{N}_{2}},{{O}_{2}}$ and a few others are available in native states while others are available as their compounds. Metallurgy deals with the extraction of these elements from the compounds with which they are combined.

Complete answer:
Most metals are too reactive to exist on their own in the ground. Instead, they exist combined with other elements as compounds called ores. In other words, we can say that ores are raw materials for making metals.

So, Ores can be defined as naturally occurring rocks that contain metals or metal compounds in sufficient amounts to make it worthwhile extracting them. So, to obtain pure elements we need to extract the element in its free state from the ore. Metallurgy deals with the extraction process of elements from the ores.

Therefore, we can define metallurgy as the complete scientific and technological process employed for the extraction of metal/element from its ore. It also includes purification of metals and formation of its alloys. For example: Bauxite $\left( A{{l}_{2}}{{O}_{3}}.2{{H}_{2}}O \right)$ is an ore of Aluminum. So, if we need to extract Al from the ore, we need to undergo some processes. Once we extract the Al metal, we will purify it. All these steps are summarized under the Process called metallurgy.

Basic steps included in metallurgy are mining of the ore, followed by separation or concentrating the metal or the metal compound. After this the ore is reduced to metal. At last, the obtained metal is refined or purified. So, from all this explanation we can say that metallurgy deals with extraction of metal from ore.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: The impurities present in the ore, which has to be separated in order to obtain desired metal from its ore during the process of extraction, are called gangue. A substance added in the furnace to remove gangue present in the ore is called flux.