In the context of smelting, what is the main change occurring in the metal?

In the context of smelting, the primary process involves the melting of metal ores at high temperatures. Smelting is a method used to extract metals from their ores by applying heat, which causes the metal within the ore to melt and separate from impurities. This step is crucial, as the high temperatures facilitate the transformation of solid ore into a molten state, allowing for further processing.

The choice regarding the cooling of metal to solidify, while important in the overall metal processing chain, occurs after smelting has already taken place. Similarly, forging and rolling processes are techniques that come into play after smelting, aimed at shaping and refining the metal's properties and dimensions. Therefore, these alternatives are not indicative of what specifically occurs during the smelting phase, which is primarily focused on the high-temperature melting process.