The correct answer is option 3: A, B, C and D only.
Let us go through each statement in detail:
(A) Malachite is an ore of copper:
Malachite is a green mineral that is a secondary copper ore. It is composed of copper carbonate hydroxide \([Cu_2CO_3(OH)_2]\). When copper-containing minerals undergo weathering and oxidation, they can give rise to secondary minerals like malachite. Malachite is often found in the oxidized zones of copper deposits and can be a source of copper extraction.
(B) Bauxite is an ore of aluminum:
Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum and is composed mainly of aluminum hydroxide minerals, along with various impurities such as iron oxides, silica, and titania. The most common form of bauxite is gibbsite \([Al(OH)_3]\). Bauxite is the main source of aluminum, and it undergoes a process called the Bayer process to extract aluminum oxide (alumina), which is then used to produce aluminum metal.
(C) Calamine is an ore of zinc:
Calamine is a mineral that consists of a mixture of zinc carbonate (smithsonite) and zinc silicate (hemimorphite). Both smithsonite and hemimorphite are zinc ores. Calamine has been historically used as a source of zinc, although today, zinc is more commonly obtained from other zinc ores.
(D) Haematite is an ore of iron:
Haematite, also spelled hematite, is an iron ore that is a common form of iron oxide. It is often silver to black, metallic, and is a major source of iron. Haematite can be directly smelted into iron, and it is one of the primary ores used in the production of iron and steel.
(E) Siderite is an ore of zinc:
This statement is incorrect. Siderite is actually an iron carbonate mineral and is an ore of iron, not zinc. The correct zinc ore is sphalerite.
Therefore, the correct combination of statements is (3) A, B, C, and D only, as siderite is not an ore of zinc. |
