Question

Why cast iron is heated in reverberatory furnance lined with haematite to produce wrought iron?

• A. Haematite oxidises $C$ to $CO$
• B. Haematite oxidises $C$ to $C{O}_2$
• C. Haematite reduce $CO$ to $C$
• D. Haematite reduce $C{O}_2$ to $C$

Answer 1

The correct option is A Haematite oxidises $C$ to $CO$

Wrought iron is the purest form of iron. In extraction of iron from iron oxide in blast furnance, obtained iron contains 4% of carbon and impurities. This is know as Pig iron. This iron is melted using scrap iron and coke in hot air blast to get cast iron. It is again heated in reverberatory lined with haematite to obtain purest form of iron known as wrought iron.
Role of haematite liniting is to oxidise the carbon impurities to $CO$.
$F{e}_2{O}_3+3C\to 2Fe+CO$