Ores

Bauxite is the ore of which metal?
a) Copper
b) Aluminium
c) Iron
d) Zinc
✅ b) Aluminium
Explanation: Bauxite is the chief ore of aluminium.
(BPSC 64th Prelims)
Hematite is the ore of:
a) Lead
b) Copper
c) Iron
d) Zinc
✅ c) Iron
Explanation: Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is a rich source of iron.
(BPSC 66th Prelims)
Which of the following is an ore of zinc?
a) Calamine
b) Bauxite
c) Malachite
d) Hematite
✅ a) Calamine
Explanation: Calamine (ZnCO₃) is a zinc ore.
(BPSC CDPO 2018)
Galena is an ore of:
a) Silver
b) Lead
c) Aluminium
d) Iron
✅ b) Lead
Explanation: Galena (PbS) is the main lead ore.
(BPSC 65th Prelims)
Which metal is extracted from cinnabar?
a) Zinc
b) Mercury
c) Silver
d) Tin
✅ b) Mercury
Explanation: Cinnabar (HgS) is the ore of mercury.
(BPSC 2015)
Chalcopyrite is an ore of:
a) Copper
b) Iron
c) Zinc
d) Aluminium
✅ a) Copper
Explanation: Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) is a major copper ore.
(BPSC Assistant 2017)
Which of the following is not correctly matched?
a) Bauxite – Al
b) Galena – Pb
c) Malachite – Cu
d) Pyrolusite – Zn
✅ d) Pyrolusite – Zn
Explanation: Pyrolusite is an ore of manganese, not zinc.
(BPSC 2014)
What is the chief ore of copper?
a) Magnetite
b) Galena
c) Chalcopyrite
d) Hematite
✅ c) Chalcopyrite
Explanation: It is CuFeS₂ – a common copper ore.
(BPSC 63rd Prelims)
Magnetite is an ore of:
a) Iron
b) Magnesium
c) Aluminium
d) Calcium
✅ a) Iron
Explanation: Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) is another iron ore.
(BPSC 67th Prelims)
Zinc blende is:
a) ZnO
b) ZnCO₃
c) ZnS
d) Zn(NO₃)₂
✅ c) ZnS
Explanation: Zinc blende (ZnS) is a sulphide ore of zinc.
(BPSC Teacher 2023)

NCERT-Based Questions (Q11–30)

Ore is:
a) Metal oxide
b) Rock with enough metal content
c) Element
d) Pure metal
✅ b) Rock with enough metal content
Explanation: Ore is mined to extract metal economically.
The process of heating ore in absence of air is called:
a) Roasting
b) Calcination
c) Smelting
d) Alloying
✅ b) Calcination
Explanation: It removes moisture and volatile impurities.
Roasting is done to:
a) Reduce ore
b) Remove sulphur
c) Make alloy
d) Remove metal
✅ b) Remove sulphur
Explanation: Sulphide ores are roasted in air.
Which of these is not a metal ore?
a) Malachite
b) Bauxite
c) Galena
d) Quartz
✅ d) Quartz
Explanation: Quartz is a mineral of silicon, not a metal ore.
Which of the following is an oxide ore?
a) Bauxite
b) Galena
c) Cinnabar
d) Chalcopyrite
✅ a) Bauxite
Explanation: Bauxite is Al₂O₃.2H₂O.
Which ore is used in the aluminium industry?
a) Hematite
b) Bauxite
c) Cinnabar
d) Galena
✅ b) Bauxite
Explanation: It is the chief ore of aluminium.
Which method is used for metal extraction from bauxite?
a) Roasting
b) Electrolysis
c) Leaching
d) Distillation
✅ b) Electrolysis
Explanation: Aluminium is extracted via electrolysis of alumina.
Which of these is a carbonate ore?
a) Zincite
b) Calamine
c) Galena
d) Cassiterite
✅ b) Calamine
Explanation: Calamine = ZnCO₃.
Manganese ore is:
a) Cinnabar
b) Bauxite
c) Pyrolusite
d) Zinc blende
✅ c) Pyrolusite
Explanation: Pyrolusite (MnO₂) is a manganese ore.
The term "gangue" refers to:
a) Ore
b) Metal
c) Waste material
d) Impure metal
✅ c) Waste material
Explanation: Gangue is unwanted material with ore.
What is used to reduce metal oxides?
a) Hydrogen
b) CO
c) Both a and b
d) None
✅ c) Both a and b
Explanation: Reduction by carbon or hydrogen is common.
Which ore contains copper?
a) Cassiterite
b) Malachite
c) Cinnabar
d) Pyrolusite
✅ b) Malachite
Explanation: Malachite (CuCO₃.Cu(OH)₂) is a green ore of copper.
Which metal is obtained from the ore cassiterite?
a) Zinc
b) Iron
c) Tin
d) Mercury
✅ c) Tin
Explanation: Cassiterite (SnO₂) is the main ore of tin.
Aluminium is extracted from:
a) Cryolite
b) Bauxite
c) Kaolinite
d) Magnetite
✅ b) Bauxite
Explanation: Bauxite is the main source of aluminium.
Ore of silver is:
a) Argentite
b) Galena
c) Cinnabar
d) Cassiterite
✅ a) Argentite
Explanation: Argentite (Ag₂S) is a silver ore.
Which is a sulphide ore?
a) Galena
b) Bauxite
c) Calamine
d) Magnetite
✅ a) Galena
Explanation: PbS is a sulphide ore.
Cryolite is used in aluminium metallurgy because:
a) It acts as a flux
b) It is magnetic
c) It is ore of Cu
d) None
✅ a) It acts as a flux
Explanation: Cryolite lowers melting point of alumina.
Which of these is reduced in a blast furnace?
a) Cu
b) Al
c) Fe
d) Pb
✅ c) Fe
Explanation: Iron is extracted in a blast furnace.
Electrolytic refining is used for:
a) Aluminium
b) Copper
c) Zinc
d) All
✅ d) All
Explanation: Metals can be refined by electrolysis.
Roasting is done for:
a) Sulphide ores
b) Carbonate ores
c) Oxide ores
d) None
✅ a) Sulphide ores
Explanation: Converts sulphides to oxides before reduction.
Which metal is extracted from the ore "Argentite"?
a) Aluminium
b) Silver
c) Copper
d) Gold
✅ b) Silver
Explanation: Argentite (Ag₂S) is the primary ore of silver.
What is the formula of Galena?
a) PbO
b) Pb(NO₃)₂
c) PbS
d) PbCO₃
✅ c) PbS
Explanation: Galena is lead sulphide – a major lead ore.
Which of the following ores is used in the extraction of tin?
a) Magnetite
b) Cassiterite
c) Pyrolusite
d) Calamine
✅ b) Cassiterite
Explanation: Tin is obtained from SnO₂ (cassiterite).
Which method is used for extraction of mercury from cinnabar?
a) Electrolysis
b) Roasting
c) Smelting
d) Distillation
✅ b) Roasting
Explanation: Cinnabar (HgS) is roasted in air to get mercury.
Which one of the following is not correctly matched?
a) Calamine – Zinc
b) Bauxite – Aluminium
c) Haematite – Iron
d) Cassiterite – Copper
✅ d) Cassiterite – Copper
Explanation: Cassiterite is a tin ore, not copper.
Which mineral is a carbonate of copper?
a) Malachite
b) Bauxite
c) Galena
d) Hematite
✅ a) Malachite
Explanation: Malachite is a green carbonate ore of copper.
Which of these is used as a flux in metallurgy?
a) Sand
b) Cryolite
c) Quartz
d) Charcoal
✅ b) Cryolite
Explanation: Cryolite (Na₃AlF₆) lowers the melting point of alumina.
The metal extracted from magnetite is:
a) Zinc
b) Iron
c) Aluminium
d) Lead
✅ b) Iron
Explanation: Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) is an iron ore.
Which of these ores contains iron?
a) Magnetite
b) Hematite
c) Limonite
d) All of the above
✅ d) All of the above
Explanation: All are different forms of iron ores.
Which one is a natural ore of aluminium?
a) Corundum
b) Bauxite
c) Diaspore
d) All of the above
✅ d) All of the above
Explanation: All contain aluminium in various forms.
The process of ore concentration is also known as:
a) Beneficiation
b) Roasting
c) Reduction
d) Refining
✅ a) Beneficiation
Explanation: Removal of gangue from ore is called beneficiation.
Which of the following is a non-metallic mineral?
a) Bauxite
b) Quartz
c) Magnetite
d) Galena
✅ b) Quartz
Explanation: Quartz is silicon dioxide – a non-metallic mineral.
Which is a hydrated ore?
a) Bauxite
b) Galena
c) Zinc blende
d) Cassiterite
✅ a) Bauxite
Explanation: It is hydrated aluminium oxide – Al₂O₃·2H₂O.
Ore from which metal is extracted through electrolytic method?
a) Lead
b) Aluminium
c) Iron
d) Zinc
✅ b) Aluminium
Explanation: Due to its high reactivity, aluminium is extracted by electrolysis.
Froth flotation is used for:
a) Oxide ores
b) Sulphide ores
c) Carbonate ores
d) Magnetic ores
✅ b) Sulphide ores
Explanation: Froth flotation separates sulphide ores using oil and air.
Calcination differs from roasting in that it is done:
a) In excess of air
b) Without air
c) In water
d) Under pressure
✅ b) Without air
Explanation: Calcination is heating in the absence of air.
Main impurity removed during concentration of ore is called:
a) Metal
b) Gangue
c) Slag
d) Dross
✅ b) Gangue
Explanation: Gangue = earthy or rocky impurity with the ore.
What is the final product of aluminium refining from bauxite?
a) Alum
b) Aluminium chloride
c) Aluminium metal
d) Alumina
✅ d) Alumina
Explanation: Bauxite is first purified to get Al₂O₃ (alumina).
Cinnabar on roasting gives:
a) Pb
b) Hg
c) Cu
d) Zn
✅ b) Hg
Explanation: HgS + O₂ → Hg + SO₂
One of the important alloys using bauxite metal is:
a) Bronze
b) Brass
c) Duralumin
d) Steel
✅ c) Duralumin
Explanation: Duralumin = Aluminium + Copper + Magnesium – used in aircraft.