The signifificance of leaching in the extraction of aluminume is

Options

A. it helps removing the impurities like `SiO_(2)` , `Fe_(2)O_(3)`, etc from the bauxite ore
B. it converts the ore into oxide
C. it reduces the melting point of the ore
D. it eliminates water from bauxite.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Leaching:**
- Leaching is a process used in metallurgy to extract metals from their ores. In the case of aluminum extraction, it involves treating the bauxite ore with a suitable solvent.

2. **Identifying the Ore:**
- Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum, which contains aluminum oxide (Al2O3) along with various impurities such as silicon dioxide (SiO2) and iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3).

3. **Purpose of Leaching:**
- The main purpose of leaching in the extraction of aluminum is to concentrate the aluminum oxide by removing impurities. This is crucial because impurities can affect the efficiency of the extraction process and the quality of the final aluminum product.

4. **Analyzing the Options:**
- Option 1: Helps remove impurities like SiO2 and Fe2O3 from bauxite ore. (Correct)
- Option 2: Converts the ore into oxide. (Incorrect, as bauxite is already primarily aluminum oxide)
- Option 3: Reduces the melting point of the ore. (Incorrect, leaching does not affect melting point)
- Option 4: Eliminates water from the bauxite. (Incorrect, leaching does not primarily focus on water removal)

5. **Conclusion:**
- Based on the analysis, the significance of leaching in the extraction of aluminum is that it helps in removing impurities from the bauxite ore, making the extraction process more efficient.

**Final Answer:**
- The significance of leaching in the extraction of aluminum is that it helps remove impurities like SiO2 and Fe2O3 from bauxite ore.

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