Which process is typically involved in pyrometallurgy?

The process typically involved in pyrometallurgy is smelting in a blast furnace. Pyrometallurgy refers to the extraction of metals from their ores through the application of heat, which is a fundamental aspect of this process. In smelting, metal ores are heated to high temperatures, allowing the metal to be separated from impurities and other materials present in the ore.

The blast furnace is specifically designed for smelting iron and other metals and operates by combining the ore with coke and limestone. This combination produces carbon monoxide, which helps to reduce the ore into liquid metal. The high temperatures and chemical reactions that occur in the blast furnace are essential for achieving the necessary reduction of metal oxides to their elemental form.

Other options describe processes that are not classified as pyrometallurgy. Electrolytic refining can improve the purity of metals after initial extraction but does not involve thermal treatment of ores. Washing and drying ores are part of the preparatory steps prior to any extraction method and do not involve the high temperatures characteristic of pyrometallurgy. Similarly, using microbial agents to leach ores refers to bioleaching, which is a hydrometallurgical process that relies on biological agents rather than heat.