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What purpose does limestone serve in tin smelting?
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In the process of tin smelting, limestone is added to the furnace feed to serve as a flux and a slag-producing agent.1
During the reduction of tin oxide, the limestone helps promote fluidity and facilitates the removal of unwanted impuritiesâsuch as iron oxidesâby incorporating them into a slag that floats on top of the molten tin. This separation allows the impure tin to be tapped off for further refining, while the slag is removed for potential retreatment.12