Sulphide ores are generally roasted in reverberatory furnace in free supply of air below melting point. Ore changes to oxide with larger surface area and volatile impurties are removed.
`2ZnS+3O_(2)overset(Delta)(to)2ZnO+2SO_(2)`
`2PbS+3O_(2)overset(Delta)(to)2PbO+2SO_(2)`