In metallurgy, a flux is a substance added to the furnace along with the ore to remove impurities.
How it works:
- Impurities like sand or silica in the ore combine with the flux to form a molten layer called slag.
- The slag floats on top of the molten metal and can be removed easily.
Example: Limestone (CaCO₃) is used as a flux in iron extraction to remove silica impurities.
In short: Flux helps separate impurities from metal, making the extraction cleaner and easier.