Question

Define bessemerisation.

Answer 1

In the final smelting step cuprous oxide reacts with remaining cuprous sulphide to form metallic copper. The product called blister copper is 97 -99 % pure Cu with entrapped bubbles of So2(g) is formed. Bessemerisation is also used to convert pure iron to steel.

Answer 2

Answer: The definition is given below.

Explanation:

Bessemerisation is a process in which air is blown to the molten copper matte that is kept in a Bessemer converter. The other products that remain, like FeS gets oxidized and remove as slag $(FeSiO_3)$ in the final step of smelting.

Blast of air converts copper sulfide $(Cu_2S)$ partly into copper oxide $(Cu_2O)$ which reacts with the remaining $Cu_2S$ to give molten copper. The equations for this process are:

$2Cu_2S+3O_2\rightarrow 2Cu_2O+2SO_2$

$2Cu_2O+Cu_2S\rightarrow 6Cu+SO_2$