In the context of mineral resources and ores, magnetite is an important ore or mineral of which metallic element?

Introduction / Context:
Many metals are obtained from naturally occurring ores, and basic general knowledge questions often ask you to match an ore with its corresponding metal. Magnetite is a widely known iron ore that appears in school textbooks and competitive exam syllabi. This question tests whether you can correctly identify which metal is obtained from magnetite and connect the name of the ore with its industrial importance.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The mineral in question is magnetite.
• The options list several metals: beryllium, chromium, iron, and lead.
• We assume typical metallurgy and geology information taught at school level.
• The task is to identify the primary metal associated with magnetite as an ore.

Concept / Approach:
Magnetite is a naturally occurring iron oxide with a composition often written as Fe3O4. It is strongly magnetic and is one of the chief ores of iron along with hematite. In metallurgy, magnetite is mined and processed to extract iron for making steel and other products. The other metals listed in the options have different ores, such as beryl for beryllium, chromite for chromium, and galena for lead. Therefore, the metal most directly associated with magnetite is iron.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that magnetite is an iron oxide ore and is strongly magnetic. Step 2: Remember the chemical formula often written for magnetite as Fe3O4, indicating the presence of iron. Step 3: Compare the listed metals and identify which one is commonly obtained from an iron oxide ore. Step 4: Recognise that iron is the industrially important metal linked with magnetite mining. Step 5: Select iron as the metal for which magnetite is an ore.

Verification / Alternative check:
Sources on mineralogy and metallurgy describe magnetite and hematite as major iron ores used to produce pig iron and steel. They emphasise magnetite's strong magnetic properties and its high iron content, making it valuable for extraction. For the other metals in the options, different ores are listed: beryl for beryllium, chromite for chromium, and galena for lead. None of these sources ever describe magnetite as an ore of beryllium, chromium, or lead, confirming that iron is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Beryllium is usually extracted from minerals such as beryl, not from magnetite. Chromium is obtained from chromite, a chromium iron oxide ore with a different composition and name. Lead is mainly obtained from galena, a lead sulphide mineral, and not from magnetite. These metals are associated with their own characteristic ores, so linking them with magnetite would be incorrect. Only iron fits the known relationship with magnetite as a major ore.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up ore names because many sound similar or end with the same suffix. Another pitfall is to assume that any oxide ore could belong to any metal, without recalling specific associations. To avoid such mistakes, it is helpful to memorise key ore–metal pairs such as hematite and magnetite for iron, bauxite for aluminium, and galena for lead. With this simple list in mind, it becomes easy to recognise magnetite as an iron ore in exam questions.

Final Answer:
Magnetite is an important ore of the metal iron.