The material mixed before ore is subjected for smelting in the extraction of iron are : — Metallurgy and Isolation of Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Smelting of iron is carried out in a blast furnace using concentrated hematite ore (Fe2O3). Step 2: Before feeding the charge into the blast furnace, the ore is mixed with coke (which acts as a reducing agent and fuel) and limestone (CaCO3, which acts as a flux to remove acidic silica impurities). Step 3: Therefore, the materials mixed with the iron ore are coke and limestone, which matches option (b).