How can oxygen lower the carbon content of high-carbon ferromanganese?

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In the context of manganese processing, oxygen is used to refine molten high-carbon ferromanganese through a process of oxidation. By blowing oxygen into the molten metal, the oxygen reacts with the carbon present in the alloy, effectively oxidizing it and converting it into carbon monoxide gas. This chemical reaction continues until the carbon content within the metal is reduced to less than 1.5 percent.1