Question

What is the role of silica in the metallurgy of copper?

Answer 1

Metallurgy is the study of procedures and techniques that are used to extract the metals from an Earth’s crust. It is the separation of ore minerals from the gangue within the rock and this the key objective of the metallurgical treatment.

Complete answer:
Copper extraction refers to the methods used to obtain copper from its ores. The copper conversion consists of the series of electrochemical and physical processes. Copper is extracted from the pyrite ores. During the roasting of the pyrite ore, a mixture of copper oxide and ferrous oxide is obtained. Silica is used as a slag in the metallurgy of copper that removes the iron oxide that is obtained during the roasting process. If sulphide ore of the copper contains iron, then silica is added as flux before roasting. Then, ferrous oxide combines with silica to form iron silicate (slag).
$FeO + SiO_2 \to FeSiO_3(slag)$
Lighter slag forms the upper layer and is removed through the slag hole.

Additional Information: The conversion of copper consists of a series of physical and electrochemical processes. Methods that are evolved and vary with the country depending on the source of ore, local environmental regulations, and the other factors.
Copper is extracted from an ore copper pyrite by smelting in the blast furnace. The flux used is silica and slag formed is iron silicate.

Note: Remember that silica is used in the metallurgy of copper to remove the iron oxide obtained during the process of roasting. Copper smelting technology gave rise to the Copper Age, Chalcolithic Age, and then the Bronze Age.