1. The iron oxide ore is first roasted in air to produce iron(III) oxide and carbon dioxide: Fe2O3(s)+ heat →2FeO(s)+CO2(g) 2. Limestone (CaCO) is added as a flux to react with the impurities in the ore, forming a molten slag: 2CaCO3(s)+ heat →2CaO(s)+2CO2(g)+O2(g) 3. The molten slag is then removed from the molten iron: FeO(s)+CaO(s)→FeCaO(s) 4. Carbon (in the form of coke) is added to the molten iron to reduce the iron(III) oxide to elemental iron: FeO(s)+C(s)→Fe(s)+CO(g) 5. The elemental iron and slag are then separated, and the iron is cast into molds to form iron bars or other shapes. Overall, the balanced chemical equation for the extraction of iron from iron oxide ore using limestone as a flux is: Fe2O3(s)+3CO(g)+2CaCO3(s)→2Fe(s)+3CO2(g)+2CaO(s)+2CO(g) Note that this is a simplified equation that does not include all of the intermediate steps and reactions that occur in the actual process of iron extraction.