Yes, cinnabar (HgS) is an ore of mercury. When heated in air, cinnabar is converted into mercuric oxide (HgO). Further heating of mercuric oxide results in its reduction to mercury, the pure metal.
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Yes, cinnabar (HgS) is an ore of mercury. When heated in air, cinnabar is converted into mercuric oxide (HgO). Further heating of mercuric oxide results in its reduction to mercury, the pure metal.
One example of the reduction of an oxide ore to its metal form is the production of iron from iron oxide ore (hematite, Fe2O3) through the blast furnace process:
1. Preparation of the ore: Iron oxide ore is crushed and concentrated to remove impurities.
2. Blast furnace operation: The concentrated iron oxide ore, along with coke (carbon) and limestone, is fed into a blast furnace.
3. Reduction: Inside the blast furnace, coke (carbon) serves as the reducing agent. It reacts with oxygen in the iron oxide ore, reducing it to molten iron (Fe) and carbon dioxide (CO2):
Fe₂ O₃+ 3CO→2Fe+3CO₂
4. Formation of slag: Limestone (calcium carbonate) added to the blast furnace reacts with impurities in the iron ore, forming calcium silicate (slag), which floats on top of the molten iron:
CaCO₃ →CaO+CO₂
CaO+SiO₂ →CaSiO₃ (slag)
Collection of molten iron: The molten iron, being denser than the slag, settles at the bottom of the furnace and is tapped off periodically.
This process exemplifies the reduction of iron oxide ore to its metal form (iron) through the use of a reducing agent (carbon) in a blast furnace, a common method used in the production of iron and steel.