Smelt

Definition

To smelt is to melt or fuse ore and separate metal from it.

Purpose

The purpose of smelting is to extract pure metals from their ores through the application of heat and chemical processes.

Examples of Use

• Iron ore is smelted in a blast furnace to produce iron and steel.
• Copper smelting involves heating copper ore to separate the metal from impurities.
• Gold extraction often includes smelting to refine the metal from ore.

Related Terms

• Refining: The process of purifying extracted metals to remove impurities.
• Furnace: An enclosed structure used to generate high temperatures for smelting and other processes.
• Ore: A naturally occurring mineral or rock from which a valuable substance, typically metal, can be extracted.

Notes

Smelting is a critical process in the production of metals, requiring precise control of temperature and chemical reactions to achieve the desired purity and quality.

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