GENERAL PRINCIPLE & PROCESS OF ISOLATION

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. ‘Lapis–Lazuli’ is a blue colouredprecious stone. It is

mineral of the class
(a) Sodium–alumino silicate (b) Zinc cobaltate
(c) Basic copper carbonate (d) Prussian blue
Sol. (a)
Lapis lazuli is the aluminium silicate present in earth rocks
as blue stone.

2. Which of the following is not an ore

(a) Bauxite (b) Malachite
(c) Zinc blende (d) Pig iron
Sol. (d)
Pig iron It is the most impure form of iron and contains
highest proportion of carbon (2.5  4%)
Malachite  Cu(OH) 2 .CuCO3

Zinc blende  ZnS

Bauxite  Al2 O3 .2H 2 O

3. Which of the following is not an ore of magnesium

(a) Magnesite (b) Dolomite
(c) Gypsum (d) Carnalite

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Sol. (c)
Gypsum (CaSO .2H O) is an ore of calcium.
4 2

Dolomite (CaCO .MgCO ) , Magnesite (MgCO ) and Carnalite

3 3 3

(KCl.MgCl .6H O) are the ores of Magnesium.

2 2

4. Which is correct
(a) Galena : Mg CO 2 3 (b) Cassiterite : CaCO MgCO
3 3

(c) Dolomite : SnO 2 (d) Magnesite : MgCO 3

Sol. (d)
MgCO is the formula of magnesite.
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5. Method used for obtaining highly pure silicon used as a

semiconductor material is
(a) Oxidation (b) Electrochemical
(c) Crystallization (d) Zone refining
Sol. (d)
By the process of zone refining pure silicon is obtained
which is used in semiconductor.

6. Which of the following is a carbonate ore

(a) Pyrolusite (b) Malachite
(c) Diaspore (d) Cassiterite
Sol. (b)
Pyrolusite – MnO2
Malachite – CuCO3.Cu(OH)2

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 Diaspore – Al2O3.H2O
Cassiterite – SnO2

7. Cyanide process is used in the extraction of

(a) Au (b) Ag
(c) both (a) and (b) (d) Cu
Sol. (c)
Cyanide process is used in the extraction of both Silver and
Gold because these form complex salts with CN ion due to


presence of lone pair of electron on nitrogen atom.

8. Which of the following ore is best concentrated by froth-

flotation method
(a) Galena (b) Cassiterite
(c) Magnetite (d) Malachite
Sol. (a)
Here only Galena is PbS (a sulphide ore).
Cassiterite is SnO (oxide ore). Magnetite is Fe O (Oxide ore)
2 3 4

and Malachite is Cu(OH) .CuCO (Carbonate ore). The froath

2 3

floatation process is used to concentrate sulphide ores,

based on preferential wetting properties with froating agent
and water.

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9. A metal obtained directly by roasting of its sulphide ore is
(a) Cu (b) Pb
(c) Hg (d) Zn
Sol. (c)
When conc. HgS ore is roasted
773873K
HgS  O2   Hg  SO2

At this temperature, mercury vaporises and the vapours are

condensed to the liquid metal. Mercury so obtained is about
99.7% pure.

10. In blast furnace, the highest temperature is in

(a) Reduction zone (b) Slag zone
(c) Fusion zone (d) Combustion zone
Sol. (d)
Combustion zone 1800 K
Fusion zone 1600 K
Slage zone 1300 K
Treduction zone 800K

11. The final step for the extraction of copper from copper
pyrite in Bessemere converter involves the reaction
(a) 4Cu O  FeS  8Cu  FeSO
2 (b) Cu S  2Cu O  6Cu  SO
4 2 2 2

(c) 2Cu O  FeS  4Cu  Fe  SO

2 (d) Cu S  2FeO  2Cu  2FeCO  SO
2 2 2

Sol. (b)

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 In Bessemer converter copper sulphide is partially oxidised
to cuprous oxide which further reacts with remaining
copper sulphide to form copper and sulphur dioxide.
Cu 2S  2Cu 2 O  6Cu  SO 2

12. How is limestone used in Fe extraction

(a) Oxidation of Fe ore (b) Reduction of Fe ore
(c) Formation of slag (d) Purification of Fe formed
Sol. (c)
Lime stone (CaCO ) is used for formation of slag in Fe
3

extraction
CaCO3 
 CaO  CO 2 
Lime stone

CaO  SiO2 
 CaSiO3
Gangue slag
or
impurity

13. Heating of ore in presence of air to remove sulphur

impurities is called
(a) Calcination (b) Roasting
(c) Smelting (d) None of these
Sol. (b)
Roasting involves heating of the ore either alone or with
some other material usually in presence of air below its
fusion temperature. In roasting, definite chemical changes
like oxidation, chlorination etc., take place
S  O 2  SO 2

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14. Alumino–thermic process is used for the extraction of
metals, whose oxides are
(a) Fusible
(b) Not easily reduced by carbon
(c) Not easily reduced by hydrogen
(d) Strongly basic
Sol. (b)
Alumino thermite process involves reduction of oxides
such as Fe O , Mn O ,Cr O etc. to metals with aluminum.
2 3 3 4 2 3

Cr2 O3  2Al  Al2 O3  2Cr H   ve

15. In order to refine “blister copper” it is melted in a furnace

and is stirred with green logs of wood. The purpose is
(a) To expel the dissolved gases in blister copper.
(b) To bring the impurities to surface and oxidize them.
(c) To increase the carbon content of copper.
(d) To reduce the metallic oxide impurities with
hydrocarbon gases liberated from the wood.
Sol. (d)
2Cu 2S  3O 2  2Cu 2 O  2SO 2
3Cu 2 O  CH 4  6Cu  2H 2 O  CO
(From green
logs of wood)

16. Heating with carbon in absence of air is known as

(a) Reduction (b) Carbon-reduction
(c) Smelting (d) Roasting

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Sol. (b)
Heating with carbon in absence of air is known as carbon
reduction.
This is used in Iron metallurgy.
Fe2O3  C 
(in blast furnace)
 Fe

17. Zone refining is a method to obtain

(a) Very high temperature (b) Ultra pure Al
(c) Ultra pure metals (d) Ultra pure oxides
Sol. (c)
Zone refining is employed for preparing extremely pure
metals.
It is based on the principle that when a molten solution of
the impure metal is allowed to cool the pure metal
crystallises out while the impurities remain in the melt.
Ex: Semiconductors like Si, Ge and Ga are purified by this
method.

18. Gold is extracted by hydrometallurgical process based on

its property
(a) Of being electropositive
(b) Of being less reactive
(c) To form complexes which are water soluble
(d) To form salts which are water soluble
Sol. (c)

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 Hydrometallurgy is the process of dissolving the metal or
its ore by the action of a suitable chemical regent followed
by recovery of the metal either by electrolysis or by the use
of a suitable precipitating agent.
4Au  8KCN  2H 2 O  O2  4K[Au(CN) 2 ]  4KOH
air

2K[Au(CN) 2 ]  Zn  2Au  K 2 [Zn(CN) 4 ]

19. Black Jack is an ore of

(a) Cr (b) Sn
(c) Zn (d) Ni
Sol. (c)
Black Jack (ZnS) , also called zinc blend, is an ore of Zinc.

20. Froth floatation process is used for concentration of

(a) Chalcopyrite (b) Bauxite
(c) Haematite (d) Calamine
Sol. (a)
Chalcopyrities is containsulphur that’s why it is
concentrated by froth floatation process.

21. The process of ore dressing is carried out to

(a) Remove the siliceous materials
(b) Add flux to the mineral
(c) Convert the ore to oxide
(d) Remove the poisonous impurities
Sol. (a)
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 Removal of silicious matter from ores is known as dressing
or concentration of ore.

22. Wolframite ore is separated from tinstone ore by the

process of
(a) Roasting (b) Electromagnetic
(c) Smelting (d) Calcination
Sol. (b)
Wolframite ore [FeWO ] is present in tin stone as impurities
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and it has same mass per unit volume as that of tin stone.
So it is separated by electromagnetic separator because
wolframite is magnetic in nature hence it gets attracted by
magnet while tin stone doesn't

23. Pb and Sn are extracted from their chief ore by

(a) Carbon reduction and self-reduction.
(b) Self reduction and carbon reduction.
(c) Electrolysis and self-reduction.
(d) Self reduction and electrolysis.
Sol. (b)
PbO & PbSO get reduced by PbS itself which is already
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present in mixture so because the reduction took place by

mixture itself, hence is known as self-reduction.

2PbO  PbS  3Pb  SO2 

PbSO4  PbS   2Pb  2SO2 

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24. Zone refining is a technique used primarily for which one
of the following process
(a) Alloying (b) Tempering
(c) Sintering (d) Purification
Sol. (d)
Zone refining is a method of purification used for
semiconductors like Si,Ge and Ga.

25. Which process of reduction of mineral to the metal is suited

for the extraction of copper from its ores with low copper
content
(a) Metal displacement (b) Auto reduction
(c) Chemical reduction (d) Electrolytic reduction
Sol. (b)
Auto reduction is used for the extraction of copper from its
ore with low copper content.

INTEGER TYPE QUESTION

25. A mixture contains AgCl, Al(OH)3, Zn(OH)2, Cu(OH)2. On
adding excess of NH4OH how many of them will transfer
into filtrate?
Sol. (3)
AgCl, Zn(OH)2, Cu(OH)2 will dissolve in excess of
NH4OH.

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26. The number of water molecules attached with microcosmic
salt is
Sol. (4)
Na(NH4)HPO4 . 4H2O

27. How many of the following ores are carbonate type?

Cuprite, Malachite, Siderite, Bauxite, Zincite, Calamine,
Limonite, Azurite, Cerussite, Carnalite, Dolomite.
Sol. (6)
Cuprite: Cu2O, Malachite: CuCO3.Cu(OH)2 , Siderite:
FeCO3, Bauxite: Al2O3.2H2O, Zincite: ZnO; Calamine:
ZnCO3, Limonite: 2Fe2O3.3H2O. Azurite:
2CuCO3.Cu(OH)2, Cerussite: PbCO3, Carnalite:
KCl.MgCl2.6H2O, Dolomite: CaCO3.MgCO3.

28. Sea water contains 1297.3g of Mg2+ per metric ton . How
much of slaked lime in kg. must be added to 1.0 metric ton
of sea water to precipitate all of the Mg2+ ion.
Sol. (4)

Mg2++Ca(OH)2  Mg(OH)2+Ca2+

24 g of Mg2+ is ppted ny 74g of Ca(OH)2

1297.3 g Mg2+ is ppted ny 74g = 74 1297.3

24

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 =4000g
= 4 kg

29. Ag 2S  NaCN  Zn  Ag  ' W '

In ‘W’ the coordination number of Zn is –

Sol. (4)
Because Ag S  NaCN  Zn  Ag  Na Zn  CN  
2 2 4

Zn has 4 coordination number

30. Among the sulphide ores of Ag, Hg, Pb, Fe, Cu and Zn,
how many of them can be extracted by self-reduction
process.
Sol. (3)
Hg, Pb and Cu are extracted by self-reduction process.

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