Final answer:
Iron is extracted from ore by a process called smelting, which takes place in a blast furnace where iron oxides are reduced to molten iron using coke as a reducing agent.
Step-by-step explanation:
Iron is extracted from raw materials primarily through a process called smelting. Initially, roasting of the ore is done to remove water, decompose carbonates to oxides, and convert sulfides to oxides. Subsequently, these oxides are reduced in a blast furnace, a tower-like structure where a combination of iron ore, coke, and limestone is melted at high temperatures. In the furnace, iron is separated from impurities, which form a substance known as sl. ag that can be easily removed due to its lower melting point.
The chemical reaction in the blast furnace that leads to the extraction of iron can be represented as follows:
2Fe2O3 + 3C → 4Fe + 3CO2
Here, coke serves as the reducing agent, turning the iron oxides into molten iron, which is then tapped from the bottom of the furnace along with the sl.ag. This smelting process is crucial in metal extraction and is used for obtaining not only iron but also other base metals.