What is smelting?

Iron ore is a rock that contains iron and oxygen. Smelting is the process of extracting iron from iron ore. Iron ore, limestone and coke (a form of carbon) are heated together in a blast furnace while hot air is blasted in. The carbon in the coke and the oxygen in the air react and carbon monoxide is formed. This takes oxygen from the iron ore while the iron with a little carbon in it is left behind.