Arrange the industrial steps that lead from raw mineral to finished alloy in the correct logical sequence. a) Metal b) Process c) Ore d) Purify e) Alloy

Introduction / Context:
Metallurgical production converts mined ore into useful materials. The general path is to extract and concentrate ore, apply processing steps such as crushing and beneficiation, purify or refine to remove impurities, obtain the base metal, and finally combine metals to make desired alloys with targeted properties like strength or corrosion resistance.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Ore is the raw mineral feedstock.
• Processing prepares and enriches the ore.
• Purification or refining removes unwanted components.
• Metal is obtained after adequate refining.
• Alloy is produced by combining metals in controlled proportions.

Concept / Approach:
Follow material flow. Nothing can be purified before it exists as a processed feed. A finished alloy cannot be made before a base metal is obtained. Therefore the only consistent sequence is ore -> process -> purify -> metal -> alloy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start with ore (c).Step 2: Process the ore (b) by crushing, grinding, and concentration.Step 3: Purify or refine (d) using smelting, electrolysis, or chemical methods.Step 4: Obtain the base metal (a).Step 5: Create the alloy (e) to achieve desired properties.

Verification / Alternative check:
Industry flow sheets for steel, copper, and aluminum reflect this order. For example, bauxite (ore) is processed, alumina is refined, aluminum metal is produced, and then alloys like 6061 or 7075 are formulated.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• a, c, b, d, e: Metal cannot precede ore; metal is derived from ore.
• c, d, b, a, e: Purifying before initial processing is impractical.
• c, b, a, d, e: You cannot obtain finished metal before refining.
• a, b, d, c, e: The order is reversed at multiple points.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming processing and purification are interchangeable. Processing prepares feed material, while purification removes impurities to reach metal grade. Conflating them leads to illogical sequences.

Final Answer:
c, b, d, a, e