Smelting processes

Smelting is a process used to extract metals from their ores by heating them to high temperatures. The ore, which contains the metal combined with other elements, is placed in a furnace where it is heated until the metal melts or reacts, separating it from unwanted materials (gangue). Sometimes chemicals like flux are added to help impurities separate out as slag. The resulting molten metal can then be cooled and shaped into usable forms. Smelting is a key step in metal production, preparing raw ores for manufacturing and construction.