Explain the extraction of zinc from its chief ore.

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Solution

Zinc: The important ores of Zinc are
Zinc blende, $Z n S$
Calamine, $Z n C O_{3}$
Zincite, $Z n O$
The extraction of zinc blende involves the following steps
(i) Concentration: The ore is crushed and then concentrated by froth-floatation process.
(ii) Roasting: The concentrated ore is then roasted in the presence of excess of air at about 1200K.
$2 Z n S + 3 O_{2} Δ - \to 2 Z n O + 2 S O_{2} ↑$
(iii) Reduction: Zinc oxide is mixed with powdered coke and heated to 1673 K in a fire clay retort, in which ZnO is reduced to zinc metal.
$Z n O + C 1673 K - --- \to Z n + C O ↑$
(iv) Purification: Zinc is purified by electrolytic refining. Where
Anode is impuric zinc
Cathode is a thin sheet of pure zinc
Electrolyte is Zinc sulphate solution + a little of dil. $H_{2} S O_{4}$
On passing electric current, pure zinc get deposited at the cathode.

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Give the reaction involved during extraction of zinc from its ore by

(a) roasting of zinc ore.
(b) calcination of zinc ore.

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