Q17.
Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? 1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into environment. 2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some heavy metals into environment. 3. They may release sulphur dioxide as a pollutant. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer
B
Explanation
Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore in order to extract a base metal. The copper concentrates are fed through the flash smelting furnace with oxygen-enriched air. In the furnace, the concentrates are instantly oxidized, after which they melt and separate by their own reaction heat into copper matte with a grade of 65% and slag consisting of iron oxide, silica, and other compounds.