Question

How is $\mathrm{FeO}$ removed during the extraction of Copper?

Answer 1

The impurity of Iron as $\mathrm{FeO}$ can be removed during the extraction of Copper in the following ways;

1. While the process of extraction of Copper, The impurity of Iron present as Iron Oxide ($\mathrm{FeO}$) can be removed from the reaction of $\mathrm{FeO}$ with silica to the formation of slag.
2. For this, a judicious amount of silica is mixed with the iron oxide mixture which resulted in the formation of an iron(II) silicate slag layer in a precipitate mixture.
3. The slag formation reaction is given as:

$\mathrm{FeO}+{\mathrm{SiO}}_2\underset{}{\to }\mathrm{FeO}.{\mathrm{SiO}}_2$

Therefore, by following the above ways, $\mathrm{FeO}$ can be removed during the extraction of Copper.