The desilverization of argentiferous lead often employs the addition of molten Zinc to the impure le — Metallurgy and Isolation of Elements Chemistry Question
Question
The desilverization of argentiferous lead often employs the addition of molten Zinc to the impure lead matrix. What is the fundamental physical chemistry principle exploited to successfully isolate the silver in this technique?
Answer: B
💡 Solution & Explanation
This refers to Parkes' Process. It leverages partition coefficients: Silver is far more soluble in molten Zinc than in molten Lead. Since molten Zinc and molten Lead are immiscible, the Zinc forms a separate upper layer containing almost all the extracted Silver, which is then skimmed off.
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