Question

Which of the following is not a carbonate ore?
A) Dolomite
B) Calamine
C) iderite
D) Zincite

Answer 1

Ores are minerals from which you can extract the metal through an economical process. The extraction of metal from an ore is not economically feasible.

Complete answer:
Dolomite contains calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. Thus, it is a carbonate ore.
We can write the chemical formula of Dolomite as either ${\text{CaC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}{\text{, MgC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}$ or ${\text{CaMg}}{\left( {{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}} \right)_2}$

Calamine is zinc carbonate. Thus, it is a carbonate ore. We can write the chemical formula of calamine as ${\text{ZnC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}$

Siderite is iron(II) carbonate or ferrous carbonate. We can write the chemical formula of siderite as ${\text{FeC}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}$

Zincite is zinc oxide. Thus, Zincite is an oxide ore. It is not a carbonate ore. We can write the chemical formula of Zincite as ${\text{ZnO}}$ .

Additional information:
Bauxite is another ore that is not a carbonate ore. Bauxite is aluminium oxide. It is an oxide ore. We can write the chemical formula of bauxite as ${\text{Al}}{{\text{O}}_x}{\left( {{\text{OH}}} \right)_{3 - 2x}}\left( {0 < x < 1} \right)$. Malachite is an example of a carbonate ore. Malachite is basic cupric carbonate. We can write the chemical formula of a carbonate ore as ${\text{CuC}}{{\text{O}}_3}{\text{ }}{\text{ Cu}}{\left( {{\text{OH}}} \right)_2}$.

Hence, the correct answer is the option (D). Zincite is not a carbonate ore.

Note: Metals have high reactivity. They combine with other elements and form compounds. These compounds of metals can be either ores or minerals. Ores are those compounds, from which metals can be extracted by commercial, economical processes. From minerals, commercial extraction of metals is not possible.